


Warrior

by Mirai_Sama



Series: Athinsint [1]
Category: Beautiful Monsters Series - Jex Lane
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Bad Flirting, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Cheesy, Cockblocking, Cuddling & Snuggling, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hiroto and Matthew are friends with benefits, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kitsune, M/M, Matthew and Hiroto have bad timing, Matthew is going to need therapy, Matthew is staying with the incubi and there is no sight of Malarath, Multi, Or maybe Besties with benefits, Pet Names, Polyamory, Possesive Tarrick, Possessive Behavior, Post-Coital Cuddling, Rosaline is love, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Succubi & Incubi, Tarrick won't say it is love, Vampire Hunters, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2020-02-27 20:34:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 67,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18746614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirai_Sama/pseuds/Mirai_Sama
Summary: Matthew saved Lady Talena and the other incubi from House Moreau, but he wasn't handed over to Malarath. Instead he got to spend more time with Tarrick and Rosaline until they decide he is ready to meet the High King.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so this AU started as a joke, but unfolded beautifully after a friend of mine draw a little concept of Matthew, Vik and Hiroto being pals and having a sleepover. 
> 
> [ https://www.deviantart.com/izzypixie/art/Sleepover-Hiroto-796049397 ] 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: 
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tarrick is having second thoughts about Matthew.
> 
>  
> 
> “As you said, he proved himself to us, so why the High King shouldn’t be informed of that? He sure will be pleased”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHARACTERS INTRODUCED SO FAR
> 
> Matthew — Incubus turned vampire. Orphaned as a child; abandoned by his sire.
> 
> Incubi, ordered by social ranking:
> 
> High King Malarath — Monarch of the incubi people.  
> Queen Agleea — Social. Malarath’s granddaughter.  
> Lady Rosaline — Social. Member of House Malarath.  
> High Lord General Tarrick — Warrior. Leader of the incubi armies.  
> General Tarquin — Warrior. Tarrick’s eldest son. Leader of the Russian offensive.  
> Lord Ennius — Social. Queen Agleea’s consort.  
> Lady Dennith — Warrior. Tarrick’s “right-hand”.  
> Lord Teleclus — Warrior. Retired. Lady Lillian’s custodian.  
> Lady Sabine — Warrior. Lives a reclusive life in the Colorado Mountains.  
> Lord Vassu — Warrior. Largest of his people. Stationed on the vampire-infested West Coast.  
> Lady Talena “Lena” — Warrior. Tarrick’s only living daughter. Rescued by Matthew.  
> Lord Tane — Warrior. Tarrick’s youngest son.  
> Lady Lillian “Lily” — Matthew’s daughter
> 
> Hunters, ordered by hunter ranking:
> 
> Imperator Prescott — Leader of the hunter corps. Team leader of the Argonauts, High King Malarath’s personal bodyguards.  
> Commander Hiroto — Assassin. Kitsune. Member of the Argonauts. Team leader of the Shadow Six.  
> Commander Cullip — Former leader of the Wardens.  
> Commander Silva — Team leader of the Wardens, Tarrick’s personal bodyguards.  
> Fendrel — Dragonslayer.
> 
> Vampires ordered alphabetically:
> 
> Ascelina — Vampire lord. Assisted in Matthew’s escape.  
> Emilia — Ascelina’s sired daughter. Matthew’s former cellmate.  
> Stolus — Ascelina’s sired son. Emilia’s protective younger brother.  
> Victor Moreau — Deceased. Vampire lord. Ruled New Orleans. Killed by Matthew.
> 
> Humans:
> 
> Alyssa Callahan — Deceased. Matthew’s wife. Mother of Lily.

#  **PROLOGUE**

  


TARRICK

  


He didn’t know what to do.

 

In one hand, he was almost euphoric: His daughter was back at home, along with other incubi. Eight Vampire Lords were taken away without casualties. New Orleans was under Incubi control. Matthew had put up a really good show, earning respect from the hunters, and admiration and approval from the Incubi attendants to the party.  

 

But on the other hand, he felt dreadful. Matthew disobeyed the High King’s command and that meant punishment. Severe punishment. He also disobeyed Tarrick, since he flew away. And he compelled Silva, betraying her trust.

 

Matthew deserved to be praised, yet punished. And, of course, he as the High General should inform the High King about it. That was the right thing to do. Then… Why was he feeling so uneasy? Why hadn’t he teleported towards High Tower to inform?

 

We saw the pile of papers and the tablet at his desk and sighed. Wishing for Matthew to be there, by his bed.

 

A soft knock took him from his dilemma: according to the guards, Lady Rosaline was outside his room, requesting to meet him immediately.

 

“Yes?” He asked as he opened the door.

 

“I need to talk” Said Rosaline with uncommon seriousness “About _him_ ”.

 

Tarrick let her in and waved at the camera. He heard it go out and nodded at Rosaline.

 

“You can’t tell Malarath what happened” Rosaline seemed resolute, in an unnerving way.

 

“What?” He couldn’t believe it. Rosaline? Asking him to hide something from the High King?

 

“He can’t know… Not yet” She insisted “If he knows he will probably ask for Matthew to get transferred to High Tower, and he is not ready for that” She seemed confident about that “Matthew knows too little about us, about our customs and our world. Yesterday he proved he truly believes in us, the Incubi and… I think we should prove to him we believe in him before we throw him to the lions”.

 

“Are you sure he is not ready, Lady Rosaline?” Asked Tarrick, concealing his emotion perfectly. He didn’t want that Rosaline knew how much he wanted to keep Matthew by his side. “As you said, he proved himself to us, so why the High King shouldn’t be informed of that? He sure will be pleased”

 

“Of course he will be pleased!” exclaimed Rosaline visibly upset “But, if he orders you to hand Matthew over you will do it. And that would hurt Matthew and probably destroy the little trust we have managed to make him feel”

 

“Then he should be honoured to be requested by the High King himself!” Replied Tarrick, secretly wishing for Rosaline to give him enough arguments to stop himself from sending Matthew away.

 

“He won’t be!” Cried Rosaline “ He hadn’t spent enough time with us to respect the High King! He knowingly disobeyed Him and went to New Orleans! He… He is…” Rosaline sighed “He is like a little kid, discovering the world, getting to know who he is… Making a home of his own”

 

“And making out with the ones at it” Pointed him, sitting at his bed. “He also killed eight Lords with cold blood, Rosaline. He is a weapon”

 

Rosaline slapped him so hard it resonated across the room, her eyes full of anger and hatred.

 

“He is a person, an Incubus like you and me!” She growled before storming out.

 

He touched his cheek, feeling it ache tenderly. She was right, about everything. He wouldn’t tell her, of course, she didn’t need to know it. But she was right: Matthew wasn’t ready to be summoned.

 

And he wasn’t ready to separate from him.

 

But he had to relay the inform…

 

He had, of course.

 

To someone who outranked him...

 


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew wakes up on his bedroom, thanks the gods. And he is told his punishment.
> 
>    
> [“You told him that if he tried to rescue Lady Talena he will be put to death for his disloyalty” Matthew knew that was the answer Tarrick was expecting, and that hurt him badly.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: This chapter contains explicit homosexual content.
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 1**

 

Matthew was utterly grateful to be waking at his room. He would have preferred Tarrick’s, to be honest, but his room was welcomed. Especially since he feared they would shackle him again at the cell. 

 

He stood grinning, happy to be at his room, trying to guess how much time was he out. Seven? Maybe eight days? Shit. They sure were deciding what to do with him. But they decided something good, right? He was at his room, fully recovered and unchained, so it had to be good… Right?

 

Then Tarrick entered the room. Matthew looked at him and almost greeted him cheerfully. His common sense was quicker and told him to look at least a bit apologetic about disobeying. He sank to his knee, as the blonde man taught him and waited.

 

“You may rise” Tarrick voice didn’t sound other than calm and full of authority. Matthew damned the man for being so good at concealing his emotions in times like that. Matthew obeyed and looked at the man in front of him. “Do you want to ask something?”

 

Matthew bit his lip. He had a lot of questions on his mind, like how were the incubi he rescued? Or how he was going to be punished for that? Why they knocked out for eight days? Was Tarrick really angry at him? Did his actions took his warrior status from him? Would Tarrick chain him again and this was just a way to show him how much he lost for his defiance?

 

“No, Master” He decided to not strain his luck “I’m good”

 

Tarrick raised an eyebrow as if the lack of questions amused him. Then stalked towards Matthew until they were only a few inches away.

 

“Do you remember what I told to Tane that time he came to me demanding to rescue Lena?” Matthew's gaze followed the incubus’ lips as he talked, and that seemed to amuse him.

 

“You told him that if he tried to rescue Lady Talena he will be put to death for his disloyalty” Matthew knew that was the answer Tarrick was expecting, and that hurt him badly. He just found his place in the world, among the Incubi. He felt content going to parties, training with hunters, learning about the world, sharing time with Rosaline, and Silva, and Tarrick. He didn’t want to die.

 

“I won’t kill you, Matthew” Tarrick voice was soft as the touch of his hand in Matthew’s cheek “You are my warrior,” He said it as if it explained why his life was pardoned 

 

“Thank you, Master” Matthew felt his eyes fill with tears, as relief flooded him.

 

“But you are going to be punished because you disobeyed” Added Tarrick, and Matthew sighed wondering how the incubi planned to hurt him now “So you are grounded”

 

“Say what again?” Matthew shook his head. Grounded? What the fuck?

 

Tarrick nodded, taking a few steps away from him. 

 

“You said it, don’t you?” Tarrick seemed serious about it and amused at the same time “You are an Incubus, so I’ll punish you like I’ll punish a mischievous little Incubus.”

 

Matthew opened his mouth and closed it again. What? Was that seriously? No whippings? No silver? No shackles and chains? Was Tarrick fucking serious?

 

“But before that” Tarrick then sported a naughty smile “I want to reward you, My Magnificent Warrior”.

 

Matthew was about to ask what kind of reward was he talking about when Tarrick’s lips claimed his. The kiss was passionate and heated, as they both gave themselves to each other. 

 

He was so focused on how fucking amazing felt the kiss that he didn’t register how they got to the bed. They parted and Matthew’s cock stirred at the sight of Tarrick purple eyes looking hungrily at him. Tarrick’s hands traced his lips and his neck slowly.

 

“I’m risking a lot letting you get away with this” He whispered against Matthew’s neck, as he deposited soft kisses here and there and his hand traced every muscle over the shirt.

 

“I’m grateful,” Matthew said sighing softly at the pleasurable touch “And I’m going to prove everyone I’m worth that trust, and that you are the best”

 

Tarrick chuckled, letting his hands run by Matthew’s torso, under the shirt.

 

“I’ll look forward to that” He replied, licking his lips “Now, undress”

 

“Yes,  _ Master _ ” purred Matthew, rushing to sit up.

 

“Slowly” Added Tarrick standing and starting to undo his vest’s buttons. Matthew smirked at the cocky way the Incubus undressed and do the same. He lingered a bit too much at his pants, just to see the Incubus reaction.

 

He heard Tarrick’s breath catch when he finally let his erection out. The Incubus looked at him hungrily and lewdly. Matthew let himself drop against the soft mattress and spread his legs to give Tarrick a better view.

 

“Please, Master” He purred in a wanton way, making Tarrick bit his lip and throw himself towards him.

Matthew cried in pleasure when Tarrick spread his legs a bit more, digging his fingernails in his soft flesh and sending waves of pleasure through the touch. 

 

“ _ Mine _ ” Growled Tarrick, licking and biting Matthew’s thighs. The vampire steel twitching in advance, every time the incubus ‘accidentaly’ touched it, leaving strands of lube around it, and tracing all the way to his entrance.

 

“All yours” Moaned Matthew, as Tarrick introduced one slick finger all the way in. His body trembled at the way Tarrick moved his finger slowly. Matthew reached for Tarrick’s head and gripped his hair, bucking at him, hoping he would understand the message.

 

Tarrick chuckled against the head of Matthew’s cock, sliding his tongue across the slit to collect a few drops of precum. Matthew shuddered, looking at the Incubi with red ignited eyes lit with desire. 

 

The second finger made Matthew cry, as Tarrick pushed pleasure through them. Matthew’s back arched, and his claws buried deep in the mattress when Tarrick took his length and started sucking it at the same slowly torturing rhythm his fingers fucked his ass.

 

He felt his soavik ache, asking him to take all that delicious sexual energy that emanated from Tarrick, but he couldn’t concentrate enough to feed, being too lost in pleasure to even think straight.

 

He was so lost in the older man attentions he didn’t realize when the third finger entered him, nor when or how the five wounds in his chest came to be. He did realize when Tarrick cupped his balls and ordered “Come for me” in a deep sexy voice that sent shivers down his spine. Matthew was happy to oblige, liberating all his seed deep in Tarrick’s throat.

 

Matthew panted and looked over to Tarrick, who was licking his lips greedily.

 

“You should feed, young one” Said Tarrick, withdrawing his fingers and lining his steel with Matthew’s entrance. “This would be your last meal for a month at least”

 

“A month?” Asked Matthew before moaning as he felt Tarrick penetrating him in one swift hard move. He felt his insides on fire, his body trembling and reacting to every touch, every move, every sound Tarrick made.

 

“You’ll be grounded for a month” Replied Tarrick, securing Matthew’s hands over his head “You’ll be alone here in your room, without seeing another living being until the time’s up” He added before biting Matthew’s earlobe “If you misbehave you’ll be caged”.

 

Tarrick didn’t give Matthew enough time to think about it, because he started ramming him. Matthew arched his neck, purring and moaning, giving himself up to Tarrick. The incubus seemed pleased by the submission of the vampire because he released his hands and started kissing the exposed neck possessively. 

 

Matthew loved the feeling of being dominated by the older man, especially when it meant being ravished with attention. He started feeding greedily, although he stopped, wondering how much he could take without hurting his lover.

 

“I’ll stop you” Answered Tarrick, pinning him down and kissing him “Until then, enjoy it, young one”

 

Matthew purred at the soft kiss and then groaned when Tarrick resumed his movement and started to fuck him hard. He felt like melting, as he happily obliged. 

 

Matthew wasn’t sure how many times Tarrick fucked him, nor how many times he came that night. He just knew that it had been amazing and he felt warm and cosy as they both hugged and cuddled enjoying the afterglow of their encounter.

 

“Master?” 

 

“Yes, Matthew?”

 

“Can you stay here until I fall asleep?” Matthew knew he sounded needy and childish, but if he was going to spend a month thoroughly alone, he wanted that this moment lasted a little bit longer before that.

 

Tarrick looked at him, surprised at first, and then he dedicated him a soft smile.

 

“Of course, my Warrior” Tarrick nuzzled him and kissed his temple kindly “I’ll be here until you drift to sleep”.

 

Matthew purred softly, clinging to Tarrick and feeling really tired after their intercourse. He battled to keep his eyes open, as he was delighted by Tarrick’s soft petting of his hair.

 

He didn’t know when he finally drifted off.

 

 

_ A Suivre... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. 
> 
> Feel free to tell me what do you think of if something is not written correctly.
> 
> I'll be posting a chapter every two weeks.
> 
> From the Pit,
> 
> Mirai.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew finally get's his punishment and ponders about his un-death.
> 
>  
> 
> "he was so bored he tried to do Hamlet all by himself. The easy part was that he already knew all the lines."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to add the list of characters presented so far [as the final of Captive] in the Prologue in case any of you want to check it.
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 2**

 

Matthew sighed sadly when he woke up the next sundown to his empty bed. He felt his heart ache at the thought of Tarrick leaving as soon as he fell asleep. He groaned and rolled in the sheets, knowing he didn’t have anything to do the rest of the night. 

 

He explored his room with his gaze. The bookshelves were full of books, and he realised the ones he already had read were replaced by new. There was a lingering earthy smell that reminded him of Tarrick, but the bed sheets were clean, as well as himself. He was in clean silk pyjamas, which was weird but comfy. There was a bottle of blood with a small piece of paper attached at the table by the door. 

 

He got up and walked towards it.

 

‘The next one will come in a week’ It said. Matthew frowned. They seemed to be punishing his vampire side too. Matthew sighed and opened the bottle. It tasted plain, as all the bottled blood they gave to him. 

 

He couldn’t complain, though. He was fed and won’t be using that blood in excess since he didn’t have any whipping, training nor battle scheduled soon.

 

It made him felt empty.

 

He sighed and grabbed a book from the shelves, about Incubi history, climbed on his bed and dived into the book. 

 

In some moment of the night, the singing started and Matthew closed his eyes and concentrated in the sound. Tarrick told him it was a nursery rhyme about a lost boy who went through many adventures before reuniting with his family again. He wondered if she was singing it to him because he was meant to be there. 

 

He thought about everything that happened that night when he escaped in order to rescue Lady Talena and the others. He touched the metal collar around his neck and wondered if he should have run away when he got the chance. He could have been free. He could have accepted what the vampire lord, Victor, offered. A crown, devotion, freedom and the knowledge of wh his sire was.

 

Wasn’t he trying to get stronger in order to escape? He hated being a slave, he hated being pushed around, he hated being ordered and punished. Then why he came back?

 

_ Tarrick _ .

 

Oh right, that. 

 

Fucking Tarrick. 

 

He sighed. Tarrick was too important to him. Heck, Rosaline too, and Silva and the Wardens. Damn it, even Hiroto meant something to him. Even if the fox was such a tease most of the time. He found people he wanted to protect, people he wanted to fight for, and with. 

 

He heard the song grew louder as it was coming to an end. 

 

Was this really his home? He remembered the fighting lessons with Dennith, Vassu and Silva. The Incubi manners and customs lessons with Rosaline. The long hot sex nights with Rosaline and Tarrick. The balls with all those incubi trying to approach him, welcoming to an extent. It all warmed him up.

 

He cursed. 

 

He cursed the gods damned vampire that turned him and abandoned him. He was an abomination. Incubi weren’t supposed to be able to turn into vampires. He couldn’t go through his first transformation, so he was a weakling in Incubi standards. He couldn’t even make a decent hold.

 

He started wondering how would his life been if he was never turned. If he went through his first transformation and became a full incubus. Maybe he could have saved his wife, giving the advanced medicine seemed around there. He could have been with his family and met Tarrick under different circumstances. 

 

He wasn’t sure if he would have fallen in love with the incubus, though. He remembered his wife Alyssa and felt guilt flood him. He abandoned her and their child. Even if it was to protect them, it was wrong. Horribly wrong.

 

He remembered the picture of Lily Tarrick showed him. He hoped she was always that happy. He wished she found someone who loved her, treated her well and made her happy.

 

He also wished she never saw him like this. As a fucking slave, a fucking pawn.

 

He spent the rest of his night self-pitying and pacing back and forth around the room. He didn’t even bother to wait for the sun to rise, he got to bed early and tried to sleep. 

 

The rest of the week went the same, more or less. He paced around, took a book, listened to the song, thought about usually depressing stuff and went to sleep. Sometimes he would stand near the door and try to expand his senses beyond, there was nothing more than Ilertha’s song. Sometimes he would scratch the door a little.

 

At the second week, he had already finished every book in the room and was starting to think that he preferred the lashes and whipping than the solitude. His loneliness reminded him to those years before Tarrick when he was alone and had nothing to do, no one to whom talk. It was different, of course. Now he was just grounded like a misbehaved kid, not alone because he was a monster that killed every single person that came closer.

 

At the third week, he followed the electricity buzzing and found a camera. Then he wondered if the guard in charge of watching him was bored since he hadn’t been doing anything interesting. He started recounting the books he read, wondering if the person behind the camera had read them. Or if they will find them as interesting as him. He wondered if Incubi and hunters had book clubs.

 

At the four he was so bored he tried to do Hamlet all by himself. The easy part was that he already knew all the lines. The hard part was acting. He sucked at acting, and he could see why Tarrick insisted he was a bad liar. He was determined to become better at that. Not that he could do anything else, though. 

 

When the final day of his punishment he woke up in the middle of the day. He smelled a couple of humans depositing his blood ration and his clothes for the day. They were commenting his Hamlet interpretation and he felt flattered and embarrassed. 

 

The awareness didn’t last much, enough to hear them calling him a hero, though. When he woke again it was night, and there were a handful of papers by his bed. He took a couple and read:    
  


“Thank you for saving my daughter. There are no words in this world to express my gratitude. I hope to see you again at another Ball.

 

-Lord Brodeur”

 

“That was a major blow for the vampires, you were amazing. What about we go out after your punishment is over? You won’t starve ;) ;).

 

-Hiroto”

 

Matthew smiled and shuffled through the various letters. It seemed like the hunter wrote to him every day. Most of his letters were on the line of ‘Have sex with me, Matthew’. Not that he wouldn’t like to fuck the little fox’s brain out. Maybe later.

 

He took the bottled blood and drank it at a quick pace, and changed into fresh jeans. And sit by his bed to read his letters and wait for Tarrick to come and get him.

 

There were two hours after sundown when the door opened, and Matthew jumped from the bed and kneeled promptly, without even raising his head. He wanted to start right.

 

“You might rise” The harsh hurt voice of Silva startled him. Tarrick wasn’t going to greet him? But… Why? 

 

Matthew got on his feet and looked at her. She didn’t even bother to look at him. She was waiting at the door, and when Matthew approached she stalked down the hallway, motioning with her hand to make him follow her. Matthew walked behind her, shyly. He felt guilty for using her in his little stunt. He betrayed her trust.

 

“Silva…”

 

“Don’t you dare, vampire” The last word was so full of resentment that Matthew flinched as if it had hurt him physically. She stopped in front of a set of double doors. Not Tarrick’s room. And motioned towards it with her head.

 

“You were summoned,” She said before stalking out. He sighed and opened the door. In the queen sized bed was Rosaline lying in a sensual pose, passing lazily the pages of a magazine. She looked up and gave him the brightest smile he had seen. 

 

“Lady Rosaline” He saluted, approaching slowly, as she stood up, the vaporous dress flowing around her long legs.

 

“Matthew, oh I’m so glad to see you,” She said spreading her arms to receive him. “How it was?”

 

“Lonely” He answered, embracing her.

 

“Me too” She sighed, nuzzling against him. “But it’s over, thankfully”

 

“You too?” Matthew looked at her curiously, taking a couple of steps back.

 

“I’d been ‘grounded’ too, Matthew” Replied Rosaline with a soft sad smile “Because of you”

 

“What?” Matthew looked at her in utter disbelief. 

 

“I might have lied to the High King in order to keep you away from him a little bit longer” Rosaline looked mortified about that. 

 

“You lied to the High King? What? Why?” Matthew remembered that Rosaline told him about the High King, how enthralled she seemed with him.

 

“I was telling him what you did at House Moreau and… He seemed far too  _ interested _ , and he said that it was too easy the way you outsmarted Silva... So I might have told him that the attack was my idea and that I helped you by using some holds…”

 

“Why did you do that?”

 

“I think no one's ready for you to meet the High King, not in His terms... “ The answer was too ambiguous for his liking “Besides, that night you proved that you want to be part of this when you came back after refusing everything, and I thought… We’ve been asking you to prove yourself to us, to trust and serve us, but we haven’t done anything to deserve it. We haven’t shown you that you could be part of this, not as a slave but as one of us”

 

Matthew wanted to cry. Why Rosaline was so marvellous? He smiled softly and took her hands on his.

 

“Thank you, Lady Rosaline, for the chance,” He said, kissing her hands “You won’t regret it”

 

“I know” She just said, reaching for him to cup his cheeks with her hands “I trust you, Matthew”

 

“I… I trust you, Rosaline,” He said, and he was being honest. Even if Rosaline’s holds were subtle enough to avoid his detection, he felt like they had a bond, made of mutual respect and trust.

 

Rosaline smiled and hugged him, and the embrace sent shivers down his spine. Not ‘She-is-hot-and-turns-me-on’ kind of shivers but the ‘I-feel-comfy-and-loved’ kind. 

 

“So… They really grounded you?” He asked, guiding her to the bed. She reached for the lace of her dress, but he took her hands and brought her closer. Cuddles. He wanted cuddles.

 

“Yes they did” Replied her, snuggling against him, emitting soft content sounds “Although I think they grounded you because of me”

 

“How come?”

 

“When the High King was about to order your punishment I might have sworn to receive the same, as it was my ‘vengeance’”

 

“So, they grounded me because you will be having the same punishment” Matthew felt weird. In one hand, he was grateful for the lack of physical pain. On the other, he felt somehow betrayed. They didn’t think of him as an Incubi. They just care enough about Rosaline to not hurt her the way they tend to do with Matthew.

 

“Matthew, it doesn’t mean you are not one of us,” Rosaline said, caressing his hands “You are an Incubus, and I pretend to prove it to all the rest” She sounded confident as she looked at him with those big mesmerizing eyes of her. “So, what do you say?”

 

“About what exactly?” He asked, his hands tracing circles on her back.

 

“About showing all those snobs that you are a better Incubus than they” She answered, leaving soft butterfly kisses along his neck. “You and me proving them you belong”.

 

“I would love to,” Matthew thought about the bracers and the collar that interrupted her kisses. If he proved his worth, then they will consider him more than just a slave. He would have a future there, with the Incubi. He suddenly remembered Ascelina. She helped him, and he didn’t want to be indebted to her. He didn’t want to keep being a pawn. He wanted his freedom.

 

“What’s wrong?” Asked Rosaline, kissing his cheeks “You feel distressed”.

 

“I was thinking I want to be free” Matthew knew there was no point of lying to Rosaline, and it would feel wrong after what she did for him.

 

“I know, Matthew” Rosaline sighed softly “That’s why I keep insisting on this. Once they see you like what you are, a sexy curious Incubus, then you’ll be free. I know so”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“I’ll make everything in my power to do so”.

 

Matthew gave her a kiss, a soft, caring kiss. She responded to it, hugging him tightly.  

 

“Lady Rosaline” He called, caressing her cheeks.

 

“Yes, Matthew?” She looked up at his eyes.

 

“I’m hungry,” He said, with a lustful smile. She chuckled and ran her hand down his torso.

 

“Well then, let’s feed”.

 

**_A Suivre_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this new chapter.
> 
> I know the story is going slow, but believe me, it's going to get really interesting.
> 
> From an Irken ship,
> 
> Mirai.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew had a small reminder of what his place is.
> 
>  
> 
> .
> 
> “Then you accept you disobeyed the High King”
> 
> “I never disobey the High King, I never issued an order to get Matthew to New Orleans in order to rescue them”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my lovely beta-reader made an illustration/spoiler of a scene from this little work of mine. But, since it turned out to be so beautiful, I'm sharing it with you.
> 
> There it is:  
> https://www.deviantart.com/izzypixie/art/Elegant-Hiroto-801720294
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 3**

Matthew spent the next week hanging with Rosaline, most of the time learning about incubi society, and sometimes just dancing and/or fucking. He enjoyed it. Some relaxing time without feeling like a slave, or a pawn, or a soldier. Just being treated like a person. A very curious and horny person, but a person nonetheless. 

He felt comfortable around Rosaline. He was starting to believe her, that he was an Incubus and he could act as one.

Then reality hit him like a bus. With Tarrick disapproving look when he didn’t kneel as soon as he entered the room.

He was a slave.

Tarrick was in front of him, looking displeased, almost disappointed. Matthew felt dread grow inside him. He was kneeling now and had lowered his head as he should. Still, he felt Tarrick’s defrauded gaze over his nape.

He didn’t know if he was allowed to speak, and since Tarrick had just scolded him for greeting him so merrily, he preferred to stay quiet.

“It seems like that those five weeks made you forget your place” Said Tarrick, and Matthew felt his heartache. 

He was a slave, nothing else.

“Maybe we should have punished you more severely, for your actions” Added the incubus, and Matthew raised his head, his eyes full of panic at the sole idea of Rosaline suffering just a fraction of the pain he had suffered from punishments. Tarrick left out a small huff.

“She told you,” He said. It wasn’t a question. He didn’t seem surprised, though. He was more annoyed than anything. He lowered his gaze at Matthew again. “You may speak”.

“Please, I’ll behave, Master” He pleaded “Just, don’t hurt Lady Rosaline. I’ll accept my full punishment if you see it fit”.

Tarrick seemed surprised this time.

“You like her, don’t you?” He asked, sitting in the chair by the corner, to be closer to Matthew’s eye’s height.

“She treats me like a person” Matthew answered honestly, and it seemed to hurt Tarrick. Nice. He deserved it. It pained Matthew too, though. He didn’t want Tarrick suffering.

“It’s not like…” Tarrick started “I don’t think you are just a slave, Matthew… I just… You are too violent and too impulsive. I’m just trying to…”

“You are just trying to train me and to prove others I’m valuable to the incubi, Master, I know” Matthew interrupted, hoping Tarrick won’t punish him -or Rosaline- for that. “You are trying to end this war and you believe I could help. I would love to end it”

Tarrick seemed pleased for his answer. 

“It seems that maybe that month time out served you well” He commented, “I’ll pass of your Hamlet interpretation, though.” He added amused “For being so good to make drama and a show of everything you are a terrible actor”

“I tried” Matthew shrugged defeated. “It seems that ‘acting’ it’s not one of my talents”

“No, but you can’t be good at everything” Tarrick looked pleased “Besides, it makes me feel at ease knowing that there are things that you can’t learn in a few tries”.

“It’s good to see that my acting fiasco makes you happy, Master” Replied Matthew sardonic. Tarrick smirked.

“It’s there anything else you want to ask,” said Tarrick, still sporting his smirk. 

“Two questions, Master,” Said Matthew, and when Tarrick nodded he asked: “May I have blood, Master? And what am I supposed to do now?”

Tarrick reached for a bottle of blood and passed it to the vampire “You may, and you may rise too” he added, looking intensely how Matthew downed the blood. “You will be back at training, this time with more especial surveillance from High Tower, though I think he offered himself just because he wants to fuck you”.

“Hiroto is going to train me?” He asked a bit surprised. He liked the fox, he was hot and funny, and he was a hell of an assassin, very skilled and very dangerous. He wouldn’t mind fucking him a couple of times between training sessions.

“Since Silva doesn’t want to have anything to do with you, yes,” Said Tarrick and Matthew bit his lip “Yes, Matthew?”

“Could you tell her I’m sorry? She wouldn’t listen to me” Matthew felt so guilty and sorry about that.

“She has all the right to be mad at you” Tarrick looked at him emotionless. Matthew hated that stoic face.

“I know. I don’t blame her. I just…” Matthew sighed looking at his hands “She was my first friend here, you know? And I screwed it up so much… I just want to apologise correctly to her, and… And I’m not asking her to forgive me, because I know I betrayed her trust… I just…” Of course, he wanted her forgiveness, but he knew it wasn’t something easy to obtain. “I just want to explain to her why I did it”

Tarrick looked at him quietly for a while.

“I’ll relay your message to her” He finally said before standing. “Go get dressed, Hiroto is going to pick you up in an hour”.

Matthew nodded and smiled softly.

“Thank you, Master,” He said, and Tarrick smiled at him before caressing his cheek.

“My Warrior” Said Tarrick, before leaving. 

Matthew touched his cheek and sighed. Why was the older man so confusing? Why his heart didn’t decide between hating him and loving him? It ached. 

Matthew shook his thoughts away and went to the bathroom to shower and change his clothes. He was looking forward to the training sessions with the playful little fox.

He regretted them immediately.

Well, maybe not immediately, but soon enough. 

At first, it was good. Hiroto arrived at his bedroom and greeted him with a smile. He praised the fact that he had dealt with eight vampire Lords in such a haste. But everything seemed off, like if the Kitsune was disappointed with something. And Matthew just can't pinpoint what. 

Then, when they got to the training place the playful smile disappeared. Hiroto was more strict than Cullip and Silva, and that was saying a lot. The session was relentless, pushing his limits way more than before.

It was as if the fox wanted to see how much he could ask him before he lost control. Matthew didn't want to lose control again. No, if it will mean Rosaline to be hurt.

Hiroto seemed pleased with how the session was progressing, though. He attacked mercilessly but coaxed him to give his all. 

After a while, Matthew realized that Hiroto wasn't giving his all in the fight and that angered him. It was logical since the Kitsune had better training and was really fast and strong. But he didn't like being looked down. 

"What's wrong, Matthew?" Asked Hiroto when he stopped "If you hesitate in a real fight you'll be dead"

"You aren't being serious," said Matthew, crossing his arms. His shirt was shredded and soaked with blood. 

"I am being serious," replied the Japanese frowning "I always take training seriously".

"But you aren't fighting me seriously" replied Matthew, and that earned a soft laugh from the white-haired man.

"I am serious," Said Hiroto smiling "I'm just being cautious… I don't want you to lose control because I went overboard from the beginning, I want to see how much you can take before losing it so we could start pushing from there".

It sounded logical, still, Matthew didn't like it.

"But…" started Matthew, just to being silenced by Hiroto's raised hand.

"The only but I want from you is that marvellous ass you have" smirked Hiroto. Matthew smirked at the pun.

"I'll give it to you if you win me" replied Matthew, Hiroto raised his brows.

"Don't say that or I'll be going all on you just to get it" grunted Hiroto, making a stance.

"That sounds hot" replied Matthew, tracing his lips with his tongue. Hiroto followed the movement with darkened eyes and then jumped. 

Matthew had barely time to dodge him and defend himself. Since the shorter man was attacking him relentlessly, trying to find an opening to pin Matthew down. Soon enough it was more of Matthew defending and backing away than a fight. Damn it. Hiroto was really fucking good. 

And he couldn’t concentrate at all with the increasing amount of sexual innuendos that left the fox's mouth. 

"I really want to penetrate you… with my dagger" smirked Hiroto "I'll claim that ass as my property soon" and so on.

And that turned him on so fucking much. He just wanted to pin the little fox down and fuck his brains out. But he won't let him close enough to do so, not without hurting him a big deal. It was frustrating.

He was determined to not let the Kitsune had his way. Or at least he tried. Until he smelled a familiar scent of apple blossom. 

"Matthew? Are you in here?" Asked Rosaline entering the training grounds. Hiroto smiled at Matthew and throw a dagger toward her. Matthew sped up with the remaining of his blood energy to stop the dagger. He smiled at the frightened Rosaline and felt a piercing pain in his blood pouch.

"Got you," Said Hiroto, with a syringe full of hawthorn barely touching Matthew’s neck. Rosaline backed off.

“Fine, you win” growled Matthew, and with that Hiroto extracted the stake. Rosaline was bewildered.

“What’s going on here?” Asked Rosaline looking around at the scratches and blood staining the walls.

“I’m training Matthew to help him control himself” Explained Hiroto, cleaning the training daggers and putting them back in their case.

“And who is going to help you control yourself?”Retorted Rosaline “Look how you left him”

“It was his fault!” Hiroto jumped pouting “He said that if I could beat him he’ll give me his ass. How was I supposed to resist that?”

“That’s true, my lady” added Matthew taking the remains of his shirt off. He could feel the stares from the two others as he cleaned himself a bit with a towel.

“You see him?” Asked Hiroto “He always teases me. Well, now I earned his ass and I intend to collect my prize”.

“I’m sorry” Replied Rosaline “You will have to wait a bit longer. I need Matthew to come with me now”

“That’s so unfair!” cried Hiroto “I won”

“And you’ll get him… As soon as we attend this situation” Replied Rosaline. Hiroto pouted and sat. He seemed like a child putting a tantrum.

“Just… Remember what I told you about High Tower” said Hiroto as they exited the training grounds.

“What did he told you about High Tower?” Asked Matthew as they walked toward his room.

“He was the one to convince me to not let them take you there” She explained as she picked up clothes for him “He cares a lot about you… Or maybe he just really want to screw you, who knows?”

“What’s wrong with High Tower?” He asked, entering the bathroom but letting the door open to keep the conversation going as he showered. “I thought it was the High King’s home”

“It is” Replied Rosaline, biting her lip as she admired him showering “And he… Well, he has this sort of Zoo… I’m pretty sure you won’t like that”

“A zoo?” Matthew froze. A zoo? They would have put him in a fucking zoo? Like a fricking animal? That’s what they thought about him?

“Yes… Hiroto told me… Well, maybe he was exaggerating since you are still one of us…” Rosaline seemed to regret having said so.

“Would they put me in a cage? On display?” Asked Matthew, resuming his shower. His voice sounded hurt.

“I wouldn’t have let them” She answered “You deserve to live with us, being with us… Not being on display on some sort of stupid power play”

Matthew stepped out of the shower and gave her a soft smile. Was she powerful enough to stop the High King from putting him on that zoo? She had already saved him, didn’t she? Maybe she was close enough to the High King to make him change his mind about stuff like that?

“You should get dressed quickly…” Said Rosaline, tracing his abs with her fingers.

Matthew caught her hand. He felt the soothing hold she was pushing through it. It helped, but he didn’t like it.

“Lady Rosaline” Matthew got his clothes and started dressing “How could you save me from the punishment? Are you that influent?”

“I’ve never told you, huh?” Rosaline sighed, passing him a bottle of blood “I’m from House Malarath, the only one. It means I’m from the High King’s house”.

“What?”

“He… Helped me a long time ago… I owe him my life, and I love him more than anything…”

“Then why did you lied to him? About me”

“Because you are one of…”

“Enough” Matthew interrupted, holding her hands “I want the truth. You wouldn’t risk that much just because I’m one of you”.

Rosaline sighed “I… I found you intriguing, special… I’ve spent decades in the same boring balls, with the same boring gossip, and somehow, with you around, they don’t seem boring again… It’s like… It’s as if you have brought something new, something special to our lives… It’s been over a century since the last time I have seen Tarrick smile like that, or Hiroto risk that much over someone”

Matthew frowned. It seemed a rather silly reason to help him. But then again, Incubi tended to act in strange ways Matthew didn’t understand yet.

“I really like you, Matthew” Added Rosaline, caressing his hands “You are strong and sexy, yet somehow sensitive and adorable… You helped me, you  _ avenged _ me, and made me feel so special, so important…”

#    
  


“You are special to me, Lady Rosaline” Answered Matthew “You treat me like a person, and make me feel part of this… Not as a pawn, but as an individual”

“You  _ are _ part of this” Replied Rosaline frowning “And  _ we _ are going to make them see that”

Then she stormed out of the room, dragging Matthew along. Matthew followed her across the long hallways until they got to a wing unknown to Matthew. He heard voices coming from the farthest room, Tarrick’s, Silva’s, Prescott’s and others he couldn’t pinpoint.

“I don’t buy that,  _ High General, _ ” Prescott said the title mockingly “He is a threat, no matter what Lady Rosaline says”.

“Your opinion doesn’t count in here,  _ Imperator Prescott _ ” Silva spat “The High King put High General Tarrick on charge of him”

Matthew tugged Rosaline’s hand, stopping her from opening the door. He wanted to hear that conversation. Rosaline nodded and waited by his side.

“And yet, that  _ thing _ seems to obey more a simple Social Incubi more than said  _ High General _ ”

“And who says it happened without me wanting to?” Tarrick sounded annoyed as if the whole conversation was futile.

“Then you accept you disobeyed the High King”

“I never disobey the High King, I never issued an order to get Matthew to New Orleans in order to rescue them”

“Then it happened without your consent”

“It happened without me doing anything to stop it” Replied Tarrick “I know how well I trained him, and I know how good is Lady Rosaline to make this sort of plans. I just took the gamble”

Rosaline bit her lip and looked at Matthew with the same guilt he felt. Tarrick was in trouble because of his actions.

“And what if he hadn’t come back?” retorted Prescott “That was one hell of a gamble,  _ High General _ , he could have gone with the vampires and helped them fight against us”

“He wouldn’t” Tarrick answer was sharp “He won’t betray us”

“Why are you so sure?”

“He loves… us… He wants to belong and to prove he is one of us” Tarrick words made Matthew nauseated. It felt as if Tarrick had planned it all along. It hurt.

“Come on!” spat Prescott “He is a savage beast! He will sell us all for freedom!”

“If you are so sure about that how come he refused everything, killed the Lords and came back?” Silva sounded exasperated as if all the conversation was just making her lose her time. He felt a wave of gratitude toward her.

“Are you defending him? After he compelled you?” Prescott dismissed her sharply, and Matthew growled. Rosaline tugged his hand to make him stop.

“And…” Continued Prescott “You lashed him as soon as he came back, without even give him a chance to talk” Matthew felt his eyes burn red as he heard Prescott accused Tarrick “You seemed surprised by his actions, the same as Lady Rosaline”

“One would think that after so many centuries serving the Incubi you’ll know the difference between a well-mounted show and the real deal” retorted Tarrick, almost mockingly “ And of course I lashed him. He disobeyed me the moment he ran away, even if I knew what he was doing. He didn’t know I saw through it, and he deserved to be punished for his actions”

“I think is enough” shushed Rosaline, taking a deep breath and storming in the room, dragging Matthew with her. “So there you were!”

“Lady Rosaline!” The group stopped on their tracks. There was Vassu, Lord Brodeur, the wardens, Tane, a couple of Incubi Matthew didn’t know, and a girl that he believed was with the Argonauts for the way she was by Prescott’s side.

“Matthew and I have been looking for you for ages!” Said Rosaline, approaching to Lord Brodeur. Matthew bowed respectfully without knowing if it was okay that he was there. 

“Matthew” Saluted the Lord “It’s good to see you”

Was it? Wasn’t he the one who truly believed he was a monster and should be put to death? Then again Rosaline thought that too, some time ago, and now the defend him even with the High King.

“I’m glad to see you” Replied Matthew raising and sporting a soft smile, he wanted to show he wasn’t a savage beast. He was an Incubus.

“I couldn’t thank you enough after what you did” Lord Brodeur approached him slowly, almost as if he feared what Matthew was capable, but his smile and voice didn’t show anything less than happiness “You brought my beautiful little girl back… She told me how brave you were, how you dismissed those vampires and risk your life to get them to safety”

“I just did what seemed correct, my Lord” replied Matthew and glanced to Rosaline, “Lady Rosaline told me the vampires were torturing to them and I couldn’t stay put. They are our people, I had to save them”

“Are you sure you did it for that reason?” Prescott's voice sounded harsh, Matthew turned slowly.

“Yes, Imperator” Matthew didn’t know why Silva referred to him like that, but it sounded respectful enough and he wanted to seem respectful “I did it because I don’t want any Incubi to suffer”

Matthew knew Prescott didn’t buy it, the same that Tane. But the rest seemed pleased by his answer, specially Rosaline and Tarrick.

“I must say it was quite the stunt you pull up there,” said the girl by Prescott’s side with a thick Sweden accent. She was blonde and her hunter uniform had a blacksmith fashioned apron full of tools. “Very risky and very efficient”

“Thank you?” Matthew didn’t know what to say, nor how to refer to her.

“I’m Commander Vikström, you can call me Vik, tho” She offered her hand in a friendly way “I’m part of the Argonauts and chief of the weapon development division”

“So you are the one that made those silver grenades?” Matthew shook her hand. She was strong.

“And the retractile chains too,” She said happily “Useful, huh?”

“Clever” Conceded Matthew “But if you could get it inside of them before they explode they’ll do more damage”

“That’s a fair point,” Said Vik producing a notebook from her apron “Maybe if I modify the bazooka…”

“Now he is telling us how to make weapons? What’s next? He will be pacing around without a collar?” Tane exploded, Tarrick turned to him frowning.

“That’s enough, Tane,” He said, his voice commanding “Matthew is a warrior, a soldier of our kind, and he wants us to win this war as much as everyone else here”

“I bet you are still angry because he got Lady Naveeda before you” dismissed Rosaline, with a playful smile on her lips. Tane reddened at her comment, earning a few chuckles from others on the room.

“He is a Vampire” Tane replied “A monster, an abomination and someday he will show his true colours and you’ll regret being so lax to him”

“Are you questioning my methods?” Tarrick voice sent shivers down Matthew's spine, and his instincts told him to run away. He saw others cowering a little.

“He is not the only one” Replied Prescott before motioning Matthew “After all, he is here without an invitation”

“I brought him here” Hissed Rosaline “And if you couldn’t remember, the High King himself said that Tarrick and I were going to be on charge of him”

“That being said, Lady Rosaline has all the right to bring him over if she sees it fit” added Tarrick “and the training session ended about half an hour ago”

“Besides I only brought him here because Lord Brodeur was going to be here” added Rosaline, taking Matthew’s arm “Now that we said hi, we will retire to continue our study of Incubi society. Matthew loves it”

Matthew bowed and looked at Tarrick who waved him away with a smirk, before leaving the room with Rosaline.

“You did it wonderfully there, Matthew,” Said the red-haired as they walked toward his room. She seemed annoyed but somehow pleased at the outcome.”So calm and well-behaved”

“I tried my best to make you look good” He replied, earning a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Aren’t you lovely? You have learnt so well” he loved when she sounded so proud of him.

“I had a wonderful teacher” He replied, caressing her back. She grinned and hugged his arm tightly.

“Flatterer” She giggled as they got to his room “Come on, charming, you owe a certain fox something and I really don’t want to stay between him and his prey”

“Oh, now I’m your prey?” He laughed, she nodded.

“I told you, he wants to eat you since that battle when you two meet,” She said.

“Are you sure? Maybe just since that party when he had to watch me as I fucked Naveeda” replied Matthew, entering his room.

“No, Lady Rosaline is right” Hiroto was sitting on his bed, still in uniform with a book on his hands. It was a Japanese creature and mythology book, the one in which Matthew marked all the kitsune’s references “I’ve been waiting for this since I saw you fight for the first time” Hiroto set the book aside and stalked towards them “Although that time with Lady Naveeda was really hot and helped me fantasize better”.

“I’ll let you alone” Chuckled Rosaline exiting and closing the door behind her. 

Matthew backed slowly at the intense gaze and feline movements of the hunter. His back hit the door and he swallowed. Hiroto looked like a predator, with his pupils so dilated his eyes looked mostly black. 

“Are you scared, vampire?” asked Hiroto with a husky voice lowering his hands to undo his belt “Did the little hunter scare you?”

“Would you believe me if I tell you this whole thing just turn me on?” Matthew replied, licking his lips. Hiroto smirked, raising his eyebrows.

“So you like being dominated?” He asked getting rid of his shirt in a slow sensual motion that was so sexy but so torturing. Matthew wanted to jump on him and take his clothes, rip them off, but the intense predator look of Hiroto’s eyes had him pinned back, waiting. It was really exciting to wait for what the other would do. Hiroto took his hand and guided him towards the bed.

“I like the prospect of you trying” Replied Matthew undoing the buttons of his shirt at the same slow pace the fox marked. Hiroto inhaled sharply when he took his shirt off. 

“There you were!” The door flung open startling them. Silva was standing in the doorway obviously pissed.

“Oh man!” Cried Hiroto pouting. Silva threw them a glare.

“Shut up you horny fox” hissed Silva letting Matthew’s compression suit on the chair “We are under attack and all you can think is fucking him? Get ready and go to the command centre” Without a further word, she stormed out the room. Hiroto got up with a sigh, starting to accommodate his clothes resigned.

“It’s not fair” pouted Hiroto as Matthew took the compression suit.

“Our timing?” asked Matthew suiting up in a blink of an eye.

“That too…” Hiroto sighed “If Lady Rosaline hadn’t abducted you, we could have fucked”

“Well, you are going to train me now, right?” Matthew followed the fox towards the control room “We are going to have plenty of opportunities to fuck”

“I hope so” Replied Hiroto, entering the room. Tarrick was nowhere to be found, so Matthew assumed he was leading the defence.

“There you are” Denith saluted at them “Commander Hiroto, you are requested at the front lines. High General Tarrick wants you two to lead the scouting and the assault to vampire encampment at Kirk’s lost keep, Matthew and two teams are under your orders”

“I thought we were under attack” Hiroto frowned.

“We are, but the state near the keep is being attacked too. At least three dozen social incubi are trapped inside because the teleport stone was smashed. High General is already there”

“What about here?” Asked Matthew. Denith shrugged it off.

“We already controlled most of the situation here and at the Academy” She replied calmly.

“We got our orders, Matthew,” said Hiroto, turning on his heels “Let’s go”

Matthew followed him as he teleported in white haze near enough for him to know where to go. They got to the stone and he frowned.

“I thought they said the stone was smashed” Adventured Matthew, looking at the hunters that joined them.

“There’s another one nearby, too close to the keep to use it to escape, and too secluded to be found yet. Only a few of us knew about its existence” explained Hiroto passing him a comm, a pair of fingerless gloves and a sword. “We are going to use channel omega four. As soon as we get there we scatter in pairs, we move slow, strike fast. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!” All the hunters and Matthew answered. Hiroto looked pleased and pull his hood and his mask on. His honey eyes gazed at Matthew hungrily before turning cold as he climbed to the stone. 

“We port at once,” He said. The hunters nodded and climbed to the stone by him, Matthew followed them and frowned when he heard Hiroto hushing something in Japanese. Damn it. 

They teleported and Matthew felt the familiar yet disgusting flip in his stomach. He barely had time to register what was going on before the other hunters teleported away. Just he and Hiroto stood behind. They were in some sort of cave or hangar judging by the metal walls.

“You think you could keep up with me?” Asked Hiroto teleporting to the door and touching a rune on the floor. Ah, a vampire ward. “Quietly?”

“I could, yes” Matthew followed him outside and saw how he put the vampire ward up again. 

Hiroto didn’t ask or say anything else. He just teleported away. Matthew cursed under his breath and rushed towards the place the fox had teleported. After two minutes or so they were at the open. Hiroto was issuing orders quietly in Japanese.

“We are going to infiltrate in there,” Said Hiroto motioning to a keep about a mile or two away. Matthew could sense a big force of vampires stirring inside. He heard a battle at the east, about a kilometre or so. “We cut their reinforcements and then we join the main battle”

Matthew nodded and Hiroto teleported in white light. He realised the fox rustled a bit the leaves every time he teleported so he could keep track. He was grateful. 

They advanced quickly and quietly. Matthew trying to do as few sounds as he could. They encountered a couple of vampires patrolling but dealt with them before they could give any signal.

Matthew felt drawn to the main fight, behind them, and balled his fist every time some Lord passed over them flying. He wanted to fight. Why did he have to go to that stupid keep?

Then he sensed them.

At least five Lords and two hundred powerful vampires were at the keep. That was more like it.

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little longer, but it was because I wanted to show you some important escenes :3
> 
> I hope you enjoy this new chapter.
> 
> From the Underworld,
> 
> Mirai.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew and Hiroto have their first mission together.
> 
>  
> 
> “You are a good boy, Matthew” He replied ruffling his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this little scene.
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 4**

 

Matthew entered in through the window that Hiroto opened from the inside. He knew he had to be careful since the other hunters were putting up traps to catch and kill any vampire that emerged from the keep. He followed Hiroto, slowly, feeling the powerful auras from the vampire lords as they approached.

 

Hiroto teleported at Matthew’s side, took his hand and started writing with his finger.

 

“I’m going to cause a distraction, to get some of them out of there” Hiroto looked directly into his eyes “you will attract some to the lower levels, there is a team of hunters ready to take them off. Then you come back and help me finish the ones that stay. That way we could take them efficiently and without many wounds”

 

Matthew didn’t like the idea but nodded. He had to prove that he was capable of following orders. Hiroto disappeared in a blink of white light and he readied himself. 

 

At least twenty vampires and one lord came to the hallway. He cursed as one of them slashed his face and, using a bit of his blood energy, ripped their head off. The lord roared. Fuck. Maybe she was their sire. Matthew turned and ran pushing energy into his speed as the group pursued him. 

 

He wanted to take them off, but the hallways were too narrow to properly fight, and they outnumbered him. He went down to the first level and noted a few green flashes.

 

“We got this” He heard a soft voice way nearer to his ear to his liking. He just nodded and crossed the foyer to get to the front door. It was easier and faster to climb the walls that trying to find another staircase.

 

When he got back to the hallway where he separated from Hiroto he noticed something. Most of the low-level vampires had been culled probably by making them follow someone. There were three lords and fifteen vampires remaining. Hiroto appeared at the end of the hallway, by the room’s door.    
  
Hiroto touched two times his mask-covered nose and motioned the door. Matthew could smell the fear of the vampires leaking from the room. He put three fingers up his head, and then he made the gesture for fifteen by his chest. Hiroto nodded, motioned him towards the door and kicked it open.

 

Matthew entered and cut two heads before the vampires had time to register what was happening.

 

“Scatter!” Cried one, not a Lord, but the others obeyed. Matthew frowned and launched himself towards him. A Lord blocked his path and slashed his chest.

 

“You should be working with us, Prince,” Growled the Lord, parring Matthew’s silver sword with his arm. The wound healed quickly. Damn it.

 

“That again?” Matthew charged full speed, trying to get a hit on him. He got many of the others since the hall was a bit too little to be a battlefield. He saw flashes of white light and blood sputter by the corner of his eye. He also saw silver arrows protrude from several vampires. He didn’t know where they came from nor care. 

 

“Prince,” Said another Lord, a woman with long white hair “They are using you”

 

“And you’ll use me too” Replied Matthew stabbing her. He felt a vampire jump over him, and bite off his ear. A white flash later it was decaying a few meters away.

 

“Could you please not talk to the enemy?” Hiroto sounded mildly annoyed. Matthew smiled.

 

“You hear the Commander” Shrugged Matthew at the vampires and charged toward her stamping her and a few more against the wall, his sword piercing through them.

 

“Do...n-not anger Him” Those were her last words, but Matthew didn’t care. He felt way too excited for the fight to care anymore. He needed more, though. He started laughing as he culled the vampires that tried to fly. He lost account of who he killed or how many they were. Soon,  _ too soon _ , he was mostly alone in the room filled with decaying corpses and blood.

 

“You lost control” Hiroto’s voice sounded almost disappointed “But you didn’t hurt me”

 

“I’m sorry… I just…” Matthew looked at his hands. The gloves were torn, his claws didn’t recede and his sword was nowhere to be found.

 

“You retained it more time than I anticipated, though” Hiroto approached slowly “And you came back as soon as I called your name”

 

“You called my name?” Matthew looked at the hunter. He had lowered the hoodie and his fluffy white hair and ears soothed him somehow. It contrasted so much with the blood and the havoc of the room.

 

“I told you ‘Stop laughing like a maniac, Matthew’ and you stopped” Hiroto stood in front of him and traced a large wound in his chest. It didn’t heal when he asked it to. He realised he was hungry.

 

“I…” Matthew looked at the still covered neck of the hunter. He wondered how much of his poisoned blood his body could take.

 

“Don’t even think about it. If you try to bite me you’ll be dead in two seconds” Hiroto smiled as he said that and somehow it made the whole sentence more frightening.

 

“I need blood” Matthew started feeling tired and the urge was increasing.

 

“We are getting you some” Hiroto replied calmly, looking interested at his fangs. “You are not going to join the main battle”

 

“What? Why?” Matthew knew the answer, he could see it in Hiroto’s raised eyebrow. Still, he wanted to fight, he enjoyed fighting. No. No. That was wrong. It was his vampire side talking, asking him to kill. He didn’t enjoy killing. Did he?

 

“You did it wonderfully today,” said Hiroto, patting his shoulder. Something told him that if the fox wasn’t that short he would pat his head. He crouched a bit, just to see if that was the case. Yes. The hunter smirked and patted his head. 

 

“Am I a good boy?” ironized Matthew, Hiroto chuckled.

 

“You are a good boy, Matthew” He replied ruffling his hair. For some reason, it didn’t feel as if the hunter was underestimating him, nor patronizing him. It felt like a joke between comrades. Not that they had fought together that much.

 

“Still, you won’t join the main battle” Hiroto shrugged, as a hunter teleported in, dragging a staked vampire. “Meanwhile, serve yourself”.

 

Matthew looked at the vampire in front of him, and then looked at Hiroto. He didn’t know if he truly had permission to drink blood. Hiroto mumbled something in Japanese in his comm.

 

“You may receive blood from Commander Hiroto, Matthew” Tarrick’s voice in his ear send a shiver down his spine directly at his cock. Matthew wished to be by his side, battling. Or fucking with him. Both sounded great.

 

“I can retrieve the stake if you want to hunt him down” offered Hiroto, and Matthew realized he had zoned out. He shook his head, grabbed the unconscious body and drained it quickly. Oh, he sure loved getting blood directly from the vein.

 

“So we are just going to hang in here?” Asked Matthew and Hiroto shook his head.

 

“You are going to hang in there while I and the others join the battle” Hiroto was really serious, and it just let Matthew feeling pushed aside. “You have to take care of this place and search it thoroughly. If you find something you’ll report it to control”.

 

Matthew looked around, the room was a mess. Probably because of him. What kind of information could he get? 

 

“I know it’s not fighting in the front lines, but it also would help us to win this war” added Hiroto with a knowing look “Plus I think you’d prefer this than being lashed for losing your control”

 

Ah, so it was a punishment. 

 

“I’ll search the place thoroughly” nodded Matthew, earning another pat from the fox “I have a question, though. What kind of information am I looking for?”

 

“Anything that could be used against vampires” Hiroto shrugged, pulling on his mask “This was a base, so there must be something”.

 

Matthew frowned as the fox disappeared in white light and looked around him. He sighed, he would prefer to be outside fighting, but Hiroto was right, he had lost his control and could have hurt a teammate or so. So he started looking around the keep for clues, anything that could pinpoint why the vampires seemed so organized. 

 

Matthew looked at the shredded bloodied pieces of paper that filled the floor. One seemed like a map of the state. It seemed like the one the young vampire was looking at when they entered the room.

 

Of course. That’s why they made him flew first.

 

“Ehm, control?” Asked Matthew by his comm.

 

“What happens, Matthew?” Tarrick voice sounded commanding.  _ So sexy _ . “I don’t see you on the battlefield”

 

“I’m not” He replied, trying to not sound spiteful “Commander Hiroto order me to search the keep thoroughly and report anything important to you”.

 

“So you have something to report” Tarrick sounded so impersonal it hurt a bit.

 

“They have a general… Or something like that” Matthew explained.

 

“Elaborate, warrior”

 

“I found some maps and stuff here”

 

“You use maps to attack locations, it’s logical they had one”

 

“Yes, but… There was a vampire, a young one, that called for withdrawal and even the Lords obeyed him, they even protected him”

 

“...”

 

“Master?”

 

“You didn’t capture him, did you?”

 

“The Lords covered his flight”

 

“Are you sure he was young?”

 

“One hundred percent sure, Master”

 

“Chase him”

 

“What?”

 

“Go after him and bring him to me”

 

“It happened at the start of the raid, I’m not sure I could pick his trail”

 

“Are you disobeying my command?” Tarrick’s voice sounded threatening and made Matthew shiver.

 

“No, Master” Replied Matthew “I’m just saying that the trail got cold and I don’t want anyone to think I’m running away”

 

“Then report it to Commander Hiroto so  _ he _ could do the tracking” Said Tarrick with a hint of disappointment in his voice. Matthew bit his lip.

 

“Yes, Master,” Said Matthew and balled his fist. He was right. The trail had got cold and there was no way he could pick it up now, not with all the mixed vampire scents around him. And even if he got the trail what would stop the Incubi from saying that he was escaping? Maybe they’ll punish him and Rosaline again for that.

 

“You haven’t reported it” Hiroto appeared by his side, staring at him. “The High General told you to report it”

 

“I’m sorry…” Replied Matthew “I found…”

 

“I know, I hear your conversation” Hiroto shrugged “You were right. The trail is cold, they must have a witch with them”

 

Matthew nodded, looking at the debris scattered on the floor.

 

“Are you mad?” Asked Hiroto approaching.

 

“No…” Matthew started to pick up the papers from the floor.

 

“Then what is it?” Hiroto climbed on the remains of a table, staring at Matthew.

 

“He sounded so… Disappointed” Matthew didn’t know why he was saying that to the hunter, but it felt good to talk to another person.

 

“It hurts you” Affirmed Hiroto, looking down at the shreds of paper that Matthew had put there “Tell me, Matthew… Why?”

 

“I don’t know, I want to show him I’m reliable...” Shrugged Matthew.

 

“Not that”

 

“Then what?” Matthew looked at the fox, who was putting together pieces of paper as if he was solving a jigsaw puzzle.

 

“Why you came back?” Hiroto looked at him “The truth” He added “Not the whole ‘I’m-an-incubus’ show you put up there”

 

“Why do you think it was a show?” Matthew felt his throat dry. Hiroto teleported in front of him, looking at his eyes intensely.

 

“Because, if I was given the chance, back then, I would have run away”

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have another short chapter~ I hope you like it, tho~
> 
> I'm sorry about the lenght, but I really wanted to end it on that cliffhanger. But don't worry, you'll know what Hiroto meant on July 11th~
> 
> I hope this is as helpful to you as it is to me to keep a ghoul patch from growing while waiting for Blood Prince. 
> 
> Don't forget to comment, give kudos and share if you like this~
> 
> From Cabin #7,
> 
> Mirai


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew gets to know Hiroto, as a hunter and as a trainer. And he likes it.
> 
>  
> 
> “Matthew, we are on duty” Hiroto scolded the soft blush and the smirk still there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you remember the fanart my friend did? Well, it was inspired in this chapter ;) ;)
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 5**

 

Matthew stared dumbfounded at Hiroto, who made the affirmation and resume his task. 

 

“B-back then?” Asked Matthew, Hiroto looked at him.

 

“You know what is a kitsune, right?” Commented Hiroto “I saw the book at your room, it had all the kitsune’s references marked and well-read”

 

“Kitsunes are messengers of… Of the god-goddess Inari” Matthew said, earning a smile from Hiroto.

 

“Do you know which are Inari’s domains?” Hiroto returned his gaze to the paper. It was a test? 

 

“Inari is the deity of foxes, fertility, rice, tea, sake…” counted Matthew “and general prosperity and success”

 

“The worshippers often ask for wealth, luck and health at Inari’s temples,” Added Hiroto “And the messengers are supposed to bring their prayers to them. A messenger doesn’t intervene, just relays the prayer and returns with the blessing”

 

“Then why you…” Matthew didn’t know how to phrase it.

 

“Why I kill vampires in behalf of the Incubi?” Hiroto didn’t look at him, but he could tell he was no longer smiling, despite his friendly tone. “Take a guess”

 

“You…” Matthew looked at the petite man in front of him, so mischievous and playful, so serious at times, so obedient toward the Incubi. “You are like me…”

 

“Like you?” Hiroto took a piece of paper from the floor and put it together with the others.

 

“They forced you…” Matthew bit his lips when Hiroto raised his head, looked at him and nodded once. Did the fox suffer constant tortures like him? How long? Why?

 

“Why did you come back?” Hiroto asked again, Matthew looked at the pieces of bloodied paper in his hands.

 

“I...I think I like Tarrick” He confessed, “And I… I like Rosaline too, I want them to be happy, to be proud of me…” He raised his gaze and found the fox looking at him intensely “It’s a shitty reason, huh?”

 

“No…” Replied Hiroto, taking the shreds from his hands “Lucky you”

 

Matthew frowned. Lucky? After everything that had happened to him?  _ Lucky _ ? He was about to ask Hiroto how any of his situations was “lucky” when the fox pointed at the decaying corpses.

 

“Would you please look at them and see if you find something useful?” Asked Hiroto  “If you found a shiny crystal pendant it would be nice”

 

Matthew didn’t ask, knowing that probably the hunter would change the subject promptly, and went towards the corpses to loot them up. It was disgusting but kept his mind busy.

 

Later when he was back at his room in Ashwood he would wonder why Hiroto doesn’t run away now. And he would re-read all the kitsune’s passages in his books until the sun knocked him down.

 

The following week was almost peacefully.

 

He would rise right after sundown and shower himself, then Rosaline would come in and he would feed both his vampire and incubi side. Then he would train with Hiroto until he barely could move towards his bed and collapse on it a few minutes before sunrise. 

 

Until Sunday.

 

That day Tarrick was by his bedside when he woke up.

 

“Hello, my warrior” Saluted the incubus grinning. Matthew smirked as he sat up in his bed.

 

“Hello, my Master” He replied in a low sexy tone. The incubus’ smile widened.

 

“You are in a good mood today, huh?” Tarrick traced Matthew’s chest with his fingers.

 

“How couldn’t I if I woke up to see you, Master” Replied Matthew, grabbing Tarrick’s hand and guiding it to his lips to deposit a soft kiss on his fingers.

 

“Are you seducing me, Warrior?” Asked Tarrick now tracing Matthew’s lips with his thumb.

 

“Maybe” Replied Matthew capturing the blonde’s thumb between his lips and licking it. Tarrick’s eyes glowed purple as he introduced his thumb into Matthew’s mouth.

 

“You are making this difficult, Matthew” Sighed Tarrick, earning a confused look from Matthew “I come to bring you to a special meeting, and if we keep this we are going to be late”

 

Matthew moaned and pouted, reaching to touch Tarrick and pushed a bit of pleasure through his touch.

 

“Matthew” warned Tarrick, and Matthew let his hand fell and sighed.

 

“You can’t blame me for trying” He answered raising and walking towards the shower. Tarrick followed him and run his eyes over him as he stood naked under the water. Matthew slid the soap sensually through his body, shifting his weight from one foot to another, gazing seductively at Tarrick over his shoulder. The incubus was enjoying the show.

 

“Do you like what you see, Master?” Asked Matthew taking a towel to start drying himself. Tarrick smirked.

 

“I  _ love _ the view” Replied him and then pointed at a tailored suit that rested in a chair. A suit? What kind of meeting was he going to go?

 

“It’s just a shame you can’t  _ enjoy  _ it  _ thoroughly, _ ” Said Matthew, sliding into the clothes and looking at him licking his lips.

 

“Maybe I shall  _ enjoy it _ later” Replied Tarrick, and Matthew grinned.

 

“Where are we going, Master?” He asked, smoothing his suit. Tarrick raised an eyebrow looking displeased. Matthew bit his lip, maybe he shouldn’t have asked? “Did I said something I shouldn’t?”

 

“You are so wary around me now” Sighed Tarrick, taking a bottle of blood from the table “It feels like we are back on square one… Well, maybe not on square one since you are docile and obedient… But it feels off”

 

“Would you prefer that I disobeyed?” Matthew didn’t understand. First, they want him to be obedient, and now he was complaining about him being obedient.

 

“No… But I came to like your cheeky attitude and the small rebellious things you did” Replied Tarrick offering him the bottle “Like when you talk to me all sassy and call my name as if you have the right”

 

Matthew looked at the blood and then at Tarrick’s eyes. He was handing it, right? He didn’t have to ask, right? Tentatively he took the bottle and uncapped it. Tarrick looked at him with an intense gaze.

 

“You are so fucking unnerving when you do that” Snapped Matthew and downed the bottle. Damn it, they could punish him afterwards, he was tired of that pull and push. Tarrick smirked.

 

“There it is, your cursing,” Said the incubus pleased “Who would have thought I would miss it?”

 

Matthew frowned as the incubus exited the room, motioning to do the same. He hated when he did that. Why did Tarrick had to be so fucking sweet and sexy and then become so commanding and hot? He was grateful the incubus couldn’t read his thoughts because he’ll probably tease him with that for all  _ eternity _ . 

 

“Fucking incubus” muttered Matthew under his breath.

 

“I beg your pardon?” Tarrick looked at him over his shoulder, raising his brow.

 

“ _ Fucking incubus _ ” repeated Matthew vocalizing each syllable. Tarrick furrowed his eyebrows.

 

“What did I do now?” He had the  _ nerve to _ ask! Matthew huffed.

 

“You tell me, Mister ‘I’m-perfect-and-I’m-going-to-seduce-you-and-let-you-wanting’ or should I call you Mister ‘I’m-going-to-be-so-fucking-ambiguous-toward-you’” Replied Matthew angrily. Tarrick chuckled.

 

“It’s that it?” He asked merrily “Though I had done worst…”

 

“‘It’s that it?’ he says” grunted Matthew “As if he doesn’t know how he affects me”

 

“He seems pretty communicative today” Commented a hunter as they approached the control centre.

 

“I think he woke up at the wrong side of the coffin” Mocked another. Matthew glared at him.

 

“Sadly, I woke at the right side” Replied Matthew cockily “But then I found a  _ demon _ there”

 

He knew Tarrick hated being called a demon, but if it had any effect he didn’t show it. Disappointing. They entered the control centre and Matthew was received by Priscilla and Rosaline, both in gala dresses.

 

“You took your time, Tarrick,” Said Rosaline hugging Matthew.

 

“It’s his fault” Replied Tarrick shrugging.

 

“He is bad at me” Whined Matthew faking a pout “He seduces me and leaves me hungry”

 

“He tends to do that” giggled Priscilla shooking her head. The others grinned.

 

“I thought you said a demon was by your side when you woke up” ironized Tarrick. So it had had an effect! Good.

 

“It was a demon” Replied Matthew “He tempted me and then hurt my feelings” 

 

“That’s not how demons work, Matthew” Commented Hiroto appearing beside Matthew, he was wearing a white tuxedo, with a black fine knit turtleneck cardigan that made him look mouthwatering. Matthew could feel the annoyed gaze that Tarrick sent to him and that he was determined to ignore.

 

“You look astounding, little fox,” Said Matthew as his tongue darted out of his lips and licked them. 

 

“I still think white doesn’t suit me, but if you say so…” Smirked Hiroto turning around so Matthew could appreciate his suit.

 

“Hey… Ehm...Are you from outer space?” Asked Matthew, half the people around him turned to look at him confused. Fuck. He forgot he was in a room full of hunters and incubi. Hiroto looked at him and raised his brow so he offered a shy smile “‘Cause t-that booty is from out of this world”

 

There was a minute or two of awkward silence until finally...

 

“That’s…” Rosaline rolled her eyes “the worst pick up line I have heard, and I have heard plenty”

 

“That was…” Giggled Hiroto blushing violently “Lame…” 

 

Matthew chuckled shyly and scratched the back of his head. Tarrick huffed, shaking his head.

 

“It seems I’m not good at flirting” Offered Matthew biting his lip.

 

“You are terrible at pick up lines” Replied Hiroto “But a hot vampire like you don’t need any pick-up lines to get me in his bed”

 

“Enough” Said Tarrick annoyed. Was he jealous? Ha! He deserved it. “You both are on duty tonight… You’ll escort Lady Rosaline and Lady Priscilla”

 

“What a shame” Pouted Hiroto “I was hoping to take that suit off him” 

 

“Another time, maybe” Replied Matthew smirking “I still owe you one, remember?”

 

“I won’t let you forget that” Hiroto licked his lips and winked. Rosaline giggled and shook her head.

 

“Come on, gentlemen, you have to accompany two hot girls to a party and you are hitting on each other?” Said Rosaline, Matthew turned to her, took her hand and smirked, pulling her into an embrace.

 

“If I wasn’t on duty I could be with the three of you” He whispered at her ear.

 

“Y-you! You are a disaster” Laughed Rosaline, her face completely red “Let’s go”.

 

Matthew laughed and followed the two girls and the fox towards the teleport stone.

 

“So, this is a training session,” Said Hiroto as they stood at the stone to get teleported “I’m teaching you how to be a good escort and not  _ fucking it _ , pun intended”

 

“So it means I have to be in a room full of incubi who want to fuck with me and not fuck with them?” Asked Matthew after they arrived at their destination.

 

“Yes, that and that you also have to be aware of your surroundings, be alert and take care of your assigned person” Nodded Hiroto, letting the two girls walk past them and enter the manor first “You’ll be escorting Lady Rosaline, I’ll be in charge of Lady Priscilla. You can’t let her alone”

 

“But what if she…” Began Matthew following the two succubi with his eyes until they settled, then he roamed his gaze through the room to memorize it. The room was packed of incubi having fun.

 

“Did I let you alone while you rammed Lady Naveeda?” Hiroto guided him across the shadows on the sidelines of the room. It seemed like they weren’t supposed to attract any attention. 

 

“No… And when you say it like that it makes me even more uncomfortable” Matthew grimaced at the thought of the fox spying on him as he fucked. He wondered if it seemed as hot as it was and if the hunter had permission to get off as he saw him.

 

“Then you can’t let Lady Rosaline alone” Replied Hiroto shrugging. They stood side by side at one of the archways that led to a balcony. Their succubi companions were at the centre of the room dancing and Matthew admired the flawlessly way Rosaline danced with her partner.

 

“This is going to be one  _ hell _ of a night then” sighed Matthew when he noticed the Incubi looking at him and releasing some pheromones. 

 

“You would rather be with them, huh?” asked Hiroto smiling.

 

Matthew nodded and sighed, keeping an eye in Rosaline as she mingled with other incubi.

 

“Well, not everything could be partying and fighting” Shrugged Hiroto patting Matthew’s arm. “This is one of the missions you could be assigned as a hunter”

 

“Damn it” Matthew was starting to get bored, and a bit hungry accounted for all the pheromones and sex around him. He needed to focus on another thing, different from how well the dress hugged Rosaline curves. Then something silly and funny came to his mind.

 

“What if I join your team?” Said Matthew with a silly smile.

 

“What?” Hiroto looked at him puzzled.

 

“So I could be your **_ass_** assin” Winked Matthew. Hiroto blushed and averted looks.

 

“Oh man, don’t… Please… You are really bad at this” chuckled Hiroto shaking his head.

 

“Still I made you blush” Replied Matthew smiling smugly. Hiroto hit him playfully, as his gaze followed Priscilla and her dance partner.

 

“Please, stop” Giggled Hiroto “Somebody will hear you”

 

“Oh, do I embarrass you?” Matthew beamed mischievously.

 

“Matthew, we are on duty” Hiroto scolded the soft blush and the smirk still there.

 

“I know, I know you are a hunter” Conceded Matthew grinning, Hiroto looked at him nodding “I’ve known that since you captured my heart”

 

“Gods! Stop it!” Hiroto averted his gaze “I should have seen that one come”

 

“You’ll love to see  _ me _ come” Replied Matthew, looking at Rosaline as if he just hadn’t throw innuendos to the fox. 

 

“I can’t argue with that” mumbled Hiroto “But we are on duty and you are distracting me”

 

Matthew bit back a ‘And I haven’t started to undress’ and said:

 

“That’s why I’m doing this. I rather focus on you getting embarrassed by my bad pickup lines than let my mind wander with all the innuendos and pheromones the incubi are throwing at me”

 

“You just justify harassing me?” Asked Hiroto, Matthew felt guilty and then Hiroto beamed “‘Cause I could picture you sexually”

 

“Shit, that was lame” Laughed Matthew. Hiroto shrugged.

 

“I thought the point was doing it lame” Replied the fox with a playful smile. Matthew noticed that even if he seemed careless, he hadn’t let Priscilla out of his sight, and seemed like a cat sitting but still ready to jump. 

 

“If we weren’t on duty, the point would be  _ doing it _ ” Shrugged Matthew enjoying the blushing fox, before his gaze found Rosaline again. Did she just say no to sex?

 

“They seem to be considered tonight” Commented Hiroto “That’s boring”

 

“Do you enjoy it?” Asked Matthew “Seeing your assigned person having sex, I mean”

 

“It depends” Replied Hiroto tilting his head a little “Since I can’t get off until my duty is over”

 

“Damn it” Cursed Matthew, and Hiroto giggled.

 

“Were you planning to get off seeing Rosaline fuck?” Hiroto seemed somewhat surprised and really amused by that. Matthew shifted uncomfortably.

 

“Not seeing her fuck…” mumbled Matthew embarrassed “It’s just that this whole thing is making me hard and I was hoping I could get a little rest and get off…”

 

“That ain’t gonna happen, big boy” replied Hiroto almost apologetic.

 

“Then I’ll keep the pick-up lines,” Said Matthew decided “I had to focus on something else or I’ll end fucking you hard against the wall”

 

“Is that a threat or a promise?” Hiroto’s tongue darted out of his lips and traced them slowly. Matthew felt his dick throb at the idea of having that tongue over it.

 

“A bit of both” replied Matthew beaming his red eyes. Hiroto moaned softly.

 

“I’m going to become crazy with you” Mumbled the white-haired man.

 

“I’d rather have you crazy  _ for _ me” That earned rolled eyes.

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Haha… What about… Are you a mage?”

 

“A mage?”

 

“‘Cause you  _ enchanted _ me”

 

Hiroto scowled at him and teleported to the other end of the room. Matthew burst to laugh and rushed to his side without getting close to the party attendants.

 

“Come on, it wasn’t  _ that _ bad” chuckled Matthew “It wasn’t the Star Trek one”

 

“You have a Star Trek pick-up line?” Hiroto looked at him in disbelief.

 

“If you were a phaser, you’ll be set to stunt” grinned Matthew teasingly. Hiroto burst to laugh, his cheeks so red the brush strokes were almost invisible.

 

“C’ mon, Matthew!” managed Hiroto between laughs “We are supposed to be serious about this”.

 

“I’m being serious” Replied Matthew pretending to be outraged “I’m seriously hitting on you”

 

“I’m talking about the escort mission” Matthew could tell Hiroto was trying to be the serious and focused teacher he was at their combat training sessions. And he was failing miserably. Or maybe he was indulging at this because it was a party and was difficult to not catch the merry mood.

 

“So we have to look like dignified hunters while they party?” Asked Matthew trying to keep his cool. 

 

“We  _ are _ dignified hunters… Well, at least I do look dignified” Replied Hiroto, Matthew scowled and saw an opportunity

 

“Do you have a mirror in your pocket?” He asked, and Hiroto was about to answer when he added “because I can see myself in your pants”

 

“You are not stopping, are you?” Sighed Hiroto, giggling a little “They are going to say I’m too soft on you”

 

“I can take it rough, you know?” Matthew was starting to understand why the hunters were such gossipers, after all, when you are at a party so full of indulging without being able to do so you have to keep yourself in check.

 

“I’ll hold you on that when I finally get your ass” Hiroto winked at him “But don’t worry, I won’t impale you with a stake”

 

Matthew covered his mouth, as he burst to laugh. He was sure that if he had more blood inside he would have blushed. Hiroto seemed so playful and mischievous that he wished he remained like that in their other training sessions. The harsh and strict Hiroto was hot and commanding, but let him feeling so sore and so drained.

 

“You know…” Said Matthew as he stopped laughing “I confused you with the sun” 

 

“Because I’m so bright?” Asked Hiroto raising his brow, a small smirk on his lips.

 

“No” Matthew giggled at the note “Because you make me burn”

 

Hiroto rolled his eyes, blushing “So we are having vampire-themed ones now?”

 

“You started” Replied Matthew shrugging “And I intend to make you finish”

 

“I’ll hold you onto that…” Hiroto almost squeaked, before sighing “Oh look, what a shame, Lady Priscilla has a date… Oh no, I have to follow her, bummer”

 

“Don’t worry, foxy, I’ll keep your spot warm” Winked Matthew, Hiroto blushed again and disappeared. Matthew smiled and turned his eyes to Rosaline, who just excused from the dance floor and was walking towards him.

 

“How is everything going?” Asked Rosaline with a soft smile, offering him a glass full of a red coloured liquid. Blood. And judging from the smell, Incubi Blood.

 

“It’s fine” Shrugged Matthew taking the glass and biting his lip “It’s okay if I drink? I’m on duty”

 

“It’s okay, I also fetched a mugetsu glass for him” She explained, handing Matthew a glass of a silver coloured beverage, it didn’t smell like liquor, but it also didn’t have a scent Matthew could recognize.

 

“And you, having fun?” Asked Matthew, taking a sip of his glass and sighing with content.

 

“Yes, I’ve been enjoying myself” Replied Rosaline “I even get a group of guests to offer their blood to you… They seemed so sad when I told them you weren’t here to party but on duty”

 

“May you thank them for the treat?” Matthew smiled, drinking the blood slowly, to enjoy it the most. 

 

“Of course” Rosaline smiled, “I thought you’ll be sad for not partaking on the party, but you seem content with Hiroto”.

 

“Oh, we’ve been talking the night away” He replied, eyeing curiously the mugetsu glass. 

 

“I saw you. He was bright red” Rosaline giggled a little “Are you curious about it?”

 

“I was flirting with him” Matthew smiled cockily, before frowning at the glass “Yes…”

 

“It’s an especial delicacy from Japan,” Said Rosaline “Lord Kimihiro brought it. He says it’s named after his kitsune”

 

“He has a kitsune?” Matthew frowned and raised his head hoping to see another person like Hiroto.

 

“He called it a kudagitsune, I think” Said Rosaline “It’s really small and slithered of his kimono’s sleeve” 

 

“Slithered?” Matthew’s confused face made Rosaline burst to laugh.

 

“You know what? I’m going to bring him over” She waved as she entered the crowd again. Matthew huffed and waited, raising his eyebrows as he saw her bring over an average-looking Japanese man with black hair. He had one brown and one blue eye, hidden behind a pair of rectangle glasses. He was wearing a simple dark blue kimono and sported a soft smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

 

“You must be Matthew” Saluted the man, bowing a little. Rosaline winked and went to sit down a bit farter to give them some sort of privacy, guessed Matthew.

 

“Nice to meet you, Lord Kimihiro” replied Matthew bowing. The man moved his hand in front of his face as if he were waving away something. He had a long slender pipe between his fingers.

 

“No need to use such titles,” Said the black-haired “I’m just Lady Yuuko’s assistant”

 

From his sleeve, a small furry snake-like being slithered and climbed up until it was resting on top of the pipe. It had pin-heads like eyes and two small fluffy pointy ears.

 

“Mugetsu says ‘nice to meet you, prince’” Said Kimihiro when the thing made a soft purring noise “He is Mugetsu, it’s a kudagitsune and my familiar”

 

“Nice to meet you too,” Said Matthew raising his hand to touch the soft head of the being. “I beg your pardon, but what exactly is a kudagitsune?”

 

“They are called pipe-fox” Explained Kimihiro as the kudagitsune coiled around Matthew’s finger “Because they can hide inside pipes… They are a type of Kitsune that often become familiars of witches or priests”

 

“And which one are you?” Asked Matthew giggling a little as the pipe-fox slithered up his shoulder and scrubbed his head with his stub.

 

“None” He shrugged “I’m just Lady Yuuko’s assistant at the shop. Mugetsu likes me a lot and tends to say that he is my familiar”

 

“And this ‘mugetsu’ thing is?” Matthew raised the glass of silver liquid and Kimihiro smiled.

 

“It’s a special beverage that we made after a spirit parade” He answered “It is almost tasteless to regular mortals, for supernatural beings it’s said to have a rich unworldly taste, and for spirits… Well, let’s say that Mugetsu loves it”

 

“You said ‘it’s said’, you haven’t tasted it?” Matthew eyed the man, or maybe the teenager. He seemed young, but again after being surrounded with so many young-looking incubi and hunters, you never know.

 

“That’s why I said that is tasteless to regular mortals” Replied Kimihiro with a knowing smile “Humans don’t perceive it’s taste… most of the times”

 

“So you are a human… Maybe the mate of Lady Yuuko?” Asked Matthew, and Kimihiro blushed.

 

“Oh god no, please,” He said waving frantically “I’m just that old crazy woman’s assistant”

 

“Then why Rosaline called you ‘Lord’?” Matthew looked at the human intensely, he almost didn’t catch his heartbeat, as if he wasn’t really here.

 

“It’s because of the shop” Replied Kimihiro “Since I work there they call us Lord and Lady, but I’m just a regular secondary school student”

 

“That has a pipe-fox familiar and gets to be invited at Incubi parties,” Said Matthew raising his eyebrow. Kimihiro frowned. He didn’t seem upset about the comment but about being there.

 

“I’m here on behalf of Yuuko. She asked me to bring some things to this party, get something and then go back to the store to make lunch… She is lucky it’s Saturday” Kimihiro seemed different when he talked about Yuuko, he seemed more… comfortable. Matthew wondered if it would be the case with him talking about Rosaline.

 

“And did you get that something?”

 

“I don’t know, Mugetsu should know…”

 

Kimihiro seemed annoyed by that, and he also seemed used to it. Then the little pipe-fox purred loudly and jumped onto his shoulder. Kimihiro asked him something in Japanese and smiled.

 

“It seems it’s time for me to go,” He said bowing “May we encounter another time, I’ll be leaving first”

 

“See you another time” Replied Matthew bowing. Rosaline approached smiling.

 

“Do you like him?” She asked “He is a bit shy”

 

“I don’t think that’s the case” Replied Matthew “He seemed more like an overwhelmed kid”

 

“Like you the first time?” Teased Rosaline smirking “You were so nervous and so embarrassed by the way we incubi act”

 

“I’m still not comfortable with being watched as I intimate with another” Replied Matthew with a sigh. “That reminds me… You declined several offers today. Did no-one catch your eye?”

 

“Oh no… That’s not the case” Said Rosaline “It’s just that it sort of  _ felt _ wrong since you would have to watch from the sidelines”

 

“So you refrained yourself so I won’t be uncomfortable?” Matthew smiled, feeling warm as Rosaline blushed.

 

“I… That’s not…” Rosaline mumbled pouting “It was your first party in escort duty… I didn’t want to make it more difficult for you”

 

“Aren’t you lovely?” Asked Matthew caressing her cheek “Lady Rosaline, I like you a lot”

 

Rosaline smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek before going back to the party. Matthew sighed, looking at the incubi’s skinship all around him. He was feeling hungry and let behind. 

 

“So I’m off for a few minutes and you let another fox touch you?” Hiroto just appeared at his side, sniffing him and wrinkling his nose.

 

“I was just greeting him” Replied Matthew, giving him the glass of silver liquid. 

 

“What’s this?” Asked Hiroto taking the glass “I’m on duty, we can’t…”

 

Hiroto stopped as he sniffed the drink. His pupils became slits and his ears trembled.

 

“Where do you get this?” Asked Hiroto, taking a small sip and moaning. His pupils grew wider and soon his eyes seemed black.

 

“Lady Rosaline said Lord Kimihiro brought it” He answered, biting his lip as Hiroto’s soft moans made him harder.

 

“Lord Kimihiro?” Hiroto seemed in ecstasy as he drank the ‘mugetsu’.

 

“She called him like that” Matthew wondered if that was the face he made when he was about to come, “He told me he was just Lady Yuuko’s assistant… He had a pipe-fox as a familiar”

 

Hiroto nodded and took the last sip of the ‘mugetsu’ drink. He seemed joyous as he licked his lips.

 

“I wish I was that beverage” Sighed Matthew “So I could make you moan shamelessly”

 

“Could you not?” Hiroto’s blissful face was replaced by his embarrassed face. And Matthew loved it because that cute blush was his doing.

  
  
  


**_A suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this~


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew has some heartfelt conversations with Rosaline and Tarrick, has a small training session with Hiroto and a short confrontation with a Hunter.
> 
>  
> 
> _“You wouldn’t” Replied Hiroto, Matthew turned to look at him and he saw the fox sporting a cocky smile “You care too much about me”._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for last chapter awful pick-up lines, and I apologize in advance for this chapter's cheesy lines and nicknames. But you had yo admit, those two are really silly when it comes to it.
> 
> I called this series Athinsint, what means "Retell", since I'm kind of retelling the story changing one crucial event and, therefore, the rest of it from there.
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 6**

 

The rest of the night was eventless. The two men spent a lot of time exchanging bad pick-up lines and light-hearted comments about the party and the Incubi until it was time to go back.

 

Between innuendos and chit-chat, Matthew learned the difference between a Party Guard and a Party Escort. The first had to be nearly invisible and were there to assure the Party guests safety in case of an attack. The lasts were meant to accompany and entertain their assigned person as well as watch over them, their priority would be the safety of their assignment even if the whole world falls into pieces around them. 

 

In the ride back Rosaline and Priscilla entertained them with tales and gossip from the party, and Matthew could picture life like that perfectly; hanging with Rosaline, doing hunter stuff with Hiroto… It seemed like a good life. 

 

It was a shame they were approaching to Ashwood, where he was going to be treated like a slave again. Well, maybe not that much, but there will be always someone who would remind him that. 

 

“You are quiet, Matthew,” Said Rosaline as they walked toward his room. Hiroto was called to control centre to report, to both men displeasure. 

 

“I was thinking that I liked today a lot…” Replied Matthew “And I’m grateful to you for giving me the chance to become one of you”

 

“That’s funny,” Said Rosaline “I was thinking that giving you that chance was one of my best choices lately”

 

“What was the best?”

 

“Accepting you as one of us”

 

They both smiled as they come to halt before his door. They looked at each other and she leaned to kiss him. It was a soft caring kiss that warmed him. 

 

“See you tomorrow, my lovely vampire,” She said softly

 

“See you tomorrow, my beautiful succubus” He replied smiling.

 

He entered the room and frowned. It smelled like earth and dark… Like Tarrick. He was there at sundown, so maybe it was lingering? No, it felt fresh.

 

“Demon?” Tarrick was exiting his bathroom, looking displeased “Seriously, Matthew?”

 

“You tempted me” Replied Matthew shrugging a little.

 

“ _I_ tempted _you_ ? Do you have any idea of what effect do _you_ have on me?” Tarrick wasn’t displeased, he was angry and it pushed on a panic button on Matthew as the blonde approached while transforming into his full incubus form.

 

“I…” Matthew took a few steps back. He could fight, but it will end in he being punished severely or Tarrick beating him to bits. He could try to flee, but it didn’t seem possible, as there were hunters all around. He could summit and let the man know he was sorry. He didn’t like it since he was still angry at him, but it seemed the best option so he got to his knee slowly. “I’m sorry”

 

“ENOUGH!” Roared Tarrick grabbing him from the vest of his suit and pulled him up “I’ve had enough of this”

 

Matthew flinched and Tarrick growled, letting him go.

 

“What happened to you, Matthew?” Asked Tarrick “You were so…”Tarrick was having a hard time finding the words and it made Matthew felt strangely content “Now you are wary just with me…” Tarrick sit on his bed “Don’t try to deny it, I saw you in the cameras and I heard Hiroto’s report… You are comfortable around everyone except me”

 

So that’s why Tarrick seemed so angry. Well, that was something he could push without being punished. Besides, the incubus deserved a little punishment for letting him unattended.

 

“I beg your pardon, Master,” Said Matthew sporting an evil grin “I’ll behave better around you”

 

“You are doing it on purpose!” Tarrick was exasperated, and Matthew’s grin grew wider.

 

“I don’t understand what are you talking about, Master”

 

“You are making me angry”

 

“I’m sorry, Master, what should I do instead?”

 

“Stop, that! Please! I won’t punish you for being… Like you were before the House Moreau”

 

“Oh, but I would like to punish you for being so distant to me since then, Master” Tarrick’s expression was priceless. Tarrick stood up and walked towards him.

 

“All this is because _I_ was being distant?” Asked Tarrick, pressing his body against Matthew’s. His eyes were purple with desire.

 

“Yes, Master” Replied Matthew passing his arms around the incubus' neck. “I thought you didn’t want me anymore… So I shouldn’t want you anymore”

 

“You _thought_?” Tarrick’s voice was low and husky and sent shivers of pleasure across Matthew’s body. Tarrick pressed his erection against Matthew “You really think I don’t want you?”

 

Matthew moaned and bucked his hips against him “I was wrong, Master” he said, licking his lips. That was more like it.

 

“You were” Nodded Tarrick, grabbing him by the ass and tossing him on the bed “So now I have to _punish_ you” 

 

Matthew spread on the bed, smirking “Punish me how you see fit, Master”

 

He shouldn’t have said that. 

 

On second thought, yes, he should totally have said that.

 

Tarrick turned him and pressed him hard against the bed, his other hand worked down the buttons of his and Matthew’s pants. He yanked the pants and slid his dripping member between Matthew’s ass cheeks.

 

“I shouldn’t give this to you” Said Tarrick, his hand holding firmly Matthew by his hair. Matthew moaned and tried to buck his hips against the incubus, but all that he got was a hard slap in his ass. “You look eager for it”

 

“Master…” Managed Matthew, muffled by the pillow against his face “May I please you?”

 

“Aren’t you obedient?” Tarrick slapped his cheek again.

 

“I’m starting to regret it” Replied Matthew grunting. Tarrick laughed, grabbing the base of his cock and teasing the hole of the vampire. Matthew could feel the lube oozing from the head of Tarrick’s wonderful cock and wetting his hole. He trembled. Tarrick was taking his time and he really wanted to fuck him before the sun raised.

 

“It’s all, I’m done” Growled Matthew and with a blink of an eye, he was on top of Tarrick, rocking his ass against his hard rock member. Tarrick seemed pleased, looking at him hungrily. “I’m sorry, _Master_ , but you were taking your time and I’ve been wanting to fuck you for months now”

 

Tarrick roamed his hands through Matthew’s chest and torso, tracing every muscle and sending waves of pleasure through his touch. 

 

“Then _fuck_ me” Tarrick voice sounded commanding and made Matthew’s steel twitch in anticipation.

 

“ _As you wish, Master_ ” Purred Matthew grabbing both their cocks and stroking them with his hand full of silky lube. “You want me in or want to be inside?”

 

“Inside” Replied Tarrick gasping at the strokes “I’ve missed your ass”

 

“My ass has missed you too” Replied Matthew, as he prepared himself, panting.

 

Tarrick reached for his neck and yanked him. His lips clashed and Tarrick was ravaging his mouth in no time. Matthew moaned inside the kiss, aligning the incubus hard member with his hole, and lowering slowly to impale himself.

 

Tarrick was eager too, Matthew noticed, as the incubus clawed his hips and brought him down hard. They both gasped.

 

“Mhhm” Tarrick hugged Matthew tightly “I’ve missed this too much”

 

“Me too” Purred the vampire, starting to move up and down the incubus’ steel. Tarrick grabbed his hips and thrust hard every time Matthew let himself down. Matthew arched his back, moaning and panting with pleasure.

 

“T-Tarrick” He groaned when he felt the older man hitting hard the spot inside of him.

 

“So now I’m Tarrick?” Asked him, tracing his back with his claws, leaving behind thin lines of blood. Matthew shuddered at the scent of his own blood.

 

“I ahh I thought you wanted… Me to call you… Master” Managed Matthew between thrusts and groans. Tarrick pushed him against the bed and grab his hips firmly, his claws digging deep.

 

“I am your Master,” He said in a low silky voice, as he thrust harder against Matthew. “And you are _mine”_

 

He couldn’t think, the pleasure of being dominated by Tarrick was too much, especially when the incubus was claiming him in that way, biting his neck possessively. Matthew wished he could leave marks that won’t heal.

 

Matthew didn’t notice when Tarrick showed his incubus form, he just felt the tail working his erection with so-fucking-good expertise. And he heard the wings flap a little with each deep thrust. Matthew just gave himself to the pleasure, reaching to touch Tarrick’s body and send small waves of pleasure through his fingers. Tarrick moaned, thrusting and stroking harder. 

 

“I’m… Coming…” mumbled Matthew, clinging to Tarrick, as he felt his body quake. He dug his claws in Tarrick’s back as he exploded with heat, shooting his seed between them. Tarrick plunged hard and filled Matthew with his own. 

 

“I really missed this” Purred Matthew as Tarrick dropped himself by his side, hugging him in a close embrace.

 

“Me too” Replied Tarrick, caressing Matthew’s face with a warm gaze. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Said Matthew, rubbing his cheek against Tarrick’s fingers. Tarrick raised his brow. “I _was_ acting wary around you… Not to bother you but… I just didn’t want to be locked away, or that Rosaline suffered because of me being unable to follow orders”

 

“You were scared of me?” Tarrick sounded sad, and Matthew shook his head, reaching for Tarrick’s face.

 

“No!” Matthew pressed his forehead against the older man’s. “Yes… I was scared… That I took a false step and ended up in square one or dead or whatever”

 

He was enjoying the small details of his new life and seriously didn’t want to screw it over. Especially if that meant hurt Rosaline and/or Tarrick in the process. He did want his freedom, but his plan now seemed like a far and rather silly dream.

 

“My Warrior” Sighed Tarrick with a soft loving tone “Sometimes I tend to forget how young, inexperienced and naive you are”

 

Matthew frowned, as Tarrick traced his lips and his neck, with an absent look.

 

“You are way too smart and way too powerful to be allowed all the freedom we give to you,” Tarrick said and smiled a little “But… I’m giving you this chance to prove that you are as loyal as you believe you are” Tarrick pressed his finger against Matthew’s lips when he tried to say something. “Loyalty and trust aren’t things that you could prove and built in a year, nevertheless you have shown you can be given the chance to do so”

 

“Thank you?” Matthew pouted, and Tarrick kissed him softly.

 

“I heard you did well on today’s assignment” Said Tarrick, kissing Matthew’s temple. He sounded happy.

 

“I’m trying my best to make you proud, Master” Replied Matthew mocking an almost childish voice.

 

“It’s that so?” smirked Tarrick, kissing Matthew’s cheek “Then I should give you a treat”

 

Matthew groaned as the incubus bucked his hips against him, feeling the hard member between them “Please tell me the ‘treat’ is you”

 

“Your favourite” Replied Tarrick before ravaging Matthew’s mouth.

 

They kept at it until almost sunrise. The two of them expended and satisfied were holding each other in a way too intimate, way too warm embrace. Matthew felt the sun minutes away and snuggled at Tarrick.

 

"Now you are being cute," said the incubus caressing his hair. 

 

"I don't want you to go" mumbled Matthew, trying to resist the urge to sleep. "Who knows when I would see you again"

 

"We'll see each other tomorrow, Matthew" replied the blonde, giggling.

 

"You promise it?" That got the incubus to stop laughing. The tone was too needy, too broken to be laughed at.

 

"I'll be there, My Warrior" replied Tarrick firmly. Matthew raised his head and looked at him with his almost closed eyes. He looked like a kid who just got his way.

 

"My Tarrick" he sighed before his eyes rolled shut and he fell dead asleep. Tarrick sighed and caressed his head for a while, with an indecipherable look on his eyes. 

 

When Matthew woke next, Tarrick wasn't there, but it wasn't sundown yet. He was at his own room and felt a weight on his back. He couldn't move, but he smelled cherry blossoms and he smiled.

 

"Are you going to do me as I sleep?" He asked softly earning a soft laugh.

 

"I wanted to see if you truly could wake at day" replied Hiroto, stretching on his back and kissing the vampire’s neck "And I may have peeked at your delicious body"

 

"If it were the night I would have you pinned against the mattress" Matthew purred, fighting the urge to sleep.

 

"Soon, vamp" sighed Hiroto sounding sad about postponing their coitus. "Go back to sleep, big boy, you'll have a crude night"

 

Matthew obeyed content, feeling so fucking tired, and he closed his eyes and let himself drift into a dreamless sleep. 

 

The next time he woke up he was wearing clean clothes and was at the cot in Tarrick's room. He stretched and looked around the room, two of the artworks had changed since the last time he was there, and the pile of papers on the desk seemed freshly put there. He heard the shower from the bathroom and he smiled as he kneeled. Tarrick was fulfilling his promise, it seemed. 

 

"You may raise, My Warrior" Said Tarrick exiting the bathroom fully dressed, to Matthew's discontent, in his uniform. "As you can see I have plenty of work tonight, so consider yourself lucky"

 

"I do, Master" replied Matthew smiling "I got to see you freshly out of the shower, although I would like to accompany you the next time"

 

Tarrick smirked and sat down at his desk.

 

"Commander Hiroto will fetch you within an hour, you may shower and change your clothes" Said Tarrick, as he started to go through the mountain of paperwork on his table. 

 

“Yes, Master” Matthew smiled and raised. For a moment he thought of going into the bathroom, but if he used the corner shower he may get Tarrick’s attention, right? He took his clothes off and let them on a messy pile next to his cot and walked towards the shower. He heard the annoyed huff from Tarrick as he opened the shower and entered the warm water purring. He could feel Tarrick’s gaze tracing his body, detailing every muscle, every curve. He smiled thinking of the warm hands of the incubus tracing his body and his member went hard. Fuck.

 

“Having _happy_ thoughts?” Asked Tarrick. Matthew could almost _hear_ his fucking smile.

 

“Mhm” nodded Matthew gazing at the incubus over his shoulder and giving him a suggesting smile. He turned off the water and took a towel to dry himself, doing it slowly with his eyes fixated in the Incubus. Tarrick rested his head in his hand and looked at him enjoying the show.

 

“I heard of your little _contest_ with Commander Hiroto” commented Tarrick, Matthew had the decency to look embarrassed as he dressed. Tarrick eyed him “You were quite the topic of gossiping today… They called you ‘a cute funny couple’, you know?”

 

“We are not a couple” Matthew hastened to say, Tarrick nodded as he averted his attention to his paperwork. Matthew felt as if his interactions with the fox were somewhat inadequate.

 

“I’m aware… I’m just saying what they say now…” He replied diminishing it. What with that change of topic? Why Tarrick brought the topic and then wave it away?

 

“I shouldn’t have said so many cheesy things to him” Mumbled Matthew regretfully. He felt like he had crossed Tarrick by flirting with Hiroto. It was as if he owed Tarrick some kind of fidelity. That was so fucked up.

 

“I thought you liked him” Commented Tarrick, without looking at him. His voice sounded so stoic that Matthew just wanted to explain everything. 

 

Well, yeah. He liked the fox, he was playful and funny and a really good warrior. He was a good teacher even if he was way too strict. He also was so goddamn cute when he sat with his legs crossed and tilted his head just a bit. And when he looked at him with that predatory lustful gaze. Damn. 

 

“I like him… But I don’t think of him as more than a friend… who I want to fuck…”Replied Matthew. That was it. Tarrick shouldn’t be mad at him for that, he had slept with plenty of people since their first time. In fact, he fucked right in front of him several times! 

 

“Awn, so we are friends?” Hiroto appeared in Matthew’s cot, making the cutest pout ever. “You shouldn’t say that... yet… Maybe they’ll order me to kill you” He added sitting on Matthew’s lap.

 

“I’ll behave so they won’t” Replied Matthew hugging the fox. He was well aware that, even if he was playing along with the cheesy comments, Hiroto had put a wall between them. It was thin, but it was there as if the fox was trying to protect himself of a possible emotional backlash if they order him to finish Matthew. Matthew knew it was because he was a slave, and he had resigned himself to having to tiptoe his way out of his slavery situation.

 

“I hope so,” Said Hiroto snuggling against Matthew “I’ve come to like you a lot”

 

“Hey, aren’t you affectionate today?” Said Matthew scratching the fox’s ears, a small smile curved his lips “Is the training going to be so rough? Or you just want to claim your prize?”

 

“That too” Replied Hiroto closing his eyes and leaning towards the touch “Maybe I’m just trying to seduce you”

 

“So you are just making me hungry, huh?” Matthew tugged his finger in Hiroto’s uniform’s turtleneck. 

 

“Maybe,” Said Hiroto showing him his tongue “By the way, you have permission to enter me anytime”

 

Matthew cracked a laugh, giving Hiroto a playful punch in the shoulder. Hiroto pouted and give him a wink. They had been training on Matthew’s control of his strength. 

 

“Oh, so we are back with the vampire-themed ones?” Asked Matthew laughing. 

 

“Do you mind? I’m working over here” Huffed Tarrick. Matthew bit his lip apologetic. Tarrick seemed annoyed by them. Or maybe he was just trying to focus on his job. He was kind of a workaholic.

 

“I beg your pardon, Master,” He said giving Tarrick an innocent look, earning a raised brow.

 

“I’m sure he wants you to beg for something else” Retorted Hiroto before teleporting by the door “Come on, Vamp boy… If we progress enough today we may be able to fuck a little”

 

“Let’s get down to business then, little fox” Replied Matthew walking to the door “And maybe get down there too”

 

Hiroto blushed violently and disappeared, causing Matthew to smirk. 

 

“See you later, Master,” Said Matthew and reached his hand to touch Tarrick, but stopped. He had kept saying ‘Master’ all this time, and truth be told, it was because he wanted to remind himself it was Tarrick’s fault he was a slave, to remind himself why he hated him… Why he shouldn’t love him… Not that it helped to clarify his feelings. It didn’t, at all.

 

“Have fun, Matthew” Replied Tarrick turning. He saw Matthew’s raised hand and took it before the vampire took it away. Tarrick smiled and deposited a soft kiss on his fingers. “I’m almost jealous of Hiroto”

 

Matthew got his hand back and rushed out of the room before the other man had an opportunity to say something else and before himself had an opportunity to question why the incubus was jealous of Hiroto. He didn’t want to know, he didn’t want to get his hopes up with Tarrick, not yet. Not while he was still worried about his fate.

 

Besides, it was something that wouldn’t let him concentrate and he wanted to exploit his training sessions with the kitsune. Especially because they seemed extremely rewarding. 

 

The kitsune was serious about wanting to push his limits and make him more efficient and focused. He felt as if he had improved more in these few months that in the last year. Well, he surely had enjoyed and improved with his training lessons with Dennith, Vasu and Cullip. But Hiroto’s approach was different. It wasn’t about teaching him how to fight, but how to make the most of his abilities in a fight, how to keep his mind sharp in the middle of a battle and how to maintain his control even if he was about to die.

 

Like right now.

 

Hiroto was careful enough to not pierce his blood pouches nor his soavik. But he drained them enough for them to stop working. That way he would just need a day to recover, not a week or a month. Matthew growled at his severed arm that was decaying a few meters away, between him and the fox. 

 

“What did we talk about, fangy?” Scolded Hiroto swirling the training daggers at his hands.

 

“No… Growling…” Muttered Matthew, trying to regain his composure *But… In a real fight… I could growl… Right?”

 

“This is a real fight” Replied Hiroto, jumping at him, cutting his chest and teleporting away before he could react. Damn it! The fucking fox was getting faster “And no, you _can’t_ ”

 

“Why?” He almost whined, parrying the next attack with his bracer.

 

“Because you growl when you are about to lose control” Replied Hiroto attacking from the back, embedding one of the fucking training daggers in his upper back. Shit. It hurt like hell.

 

“That’s not true” Matthew managed, reaching the dagger with his “good” arm. He had lost sight of Hiroto and that was never a good thing. He tried to stay focused and alert, but he was so goddamn hungry and three of his four pouches were out of combat, the remaining pouch was dangerously drained and he had way too many wounds yet to be healed. He felt his control slowly slipping away, and it wasn’t good. He shook his head, trying to find the fox and retain his control. If he could hold the fox down thirty seconds they’ll give him fresh blood, that was the deal.

 

And he wanted it so fucking much.

 

He felt the fox’s soft aroma and dodge, barely avoiding the attack. Damn it. He was way too fast. Or he was becoming slower for the lack of blood. Hiroto seemed pleased by the way Matthew was more or less still conscious.

 

“Are you sure you want to keep going, hun?” Asked Hiroto cooing softly “There is no shame in backing from a fight you won’t win”.

 

“Someday… I’ll be the one telling you that” grunted Matthew. He felt tempted to surrender, that way he will be taken to the infirmary and will be taken care of. But he was tired of losing. Especially against the kitsune.

 

“Should I take that as a no, bloody bear?” Hiroto seemed so pleased with their progress and looked so fucking hot with his training uniform shredded and that soft panting. Damn his incubus side. Wait… His incubus side.

 

“Sorry, foxy” He smiled breathing slowly and letting his incubus side, the one that wanted to fuck Hiroto hard, took over “But I’m not losing this time”.

 

“Bold words from someone who barely can stay…” Mocked Hiroto as Matthew used his remaining energy to speed behind him and pin him hard against the wall, his erection pushing against the crack of the fox’s ass “ahhh…” 

 

Hiroto moaned softly, trying to attack him and get him out of his back, but Matthew was too hungry to care. He wanted to hear more moans, so his hand knocked one of the daggers and slid down the Japanese’s pants, caressing his bulging erection. The white-haired man gasped and tried to get free, but the more he moved the more Matthew bucked against his ass.

 

“W-wait… M-Matthew” Hiroto pleaded as Matthew slid his hand inside his pants and started masturbating his member. Hiroto rolled his eyes and tried to support himself against the wall, as Matthew moved against him.

 

“Thirty seconds, Matthew,” Said someone, Matthew didn’t care. He was too busy with the lovely fox to care. “Let him go, Matthew”

 

“Don’t wanna” He replied, biting the fox’s ear making him moan louder. Fuck, Hiroto surely had an erotic voice.

 

“Are you going to rape him?” That made Matthew stop. Rape? No, he won’t. He reluctantly separated himself from the Japanese and watch him felt to his knees, panting.

 

“I’m sorry…” Said Matthew, backing off slowly, almost reluctantly. Disgusting. Hiroto raised his head and smiled at him.

 

“That was so _hot,_ ” He said, standing up slowly. “But, you could have asked me, you know? I won’t deny you my ass”

 

“I’m sorry” Repeated Matthew, trying hard to resist the urge of pin the fox against the wall again.

  
  
“Look at the good side” Replied Hiroto “You pinned me down for thirty seconds _without_ losing control”

 

“I lost it” Replied Matthew turning so he couldn’t see the kitsune.

 

“You almost lost it,” Said Hiroto, and Matthew heard the rustle of clothes. He was probably changing. Fuck. “But you didn’t, you were conscious of what you were doing… Yeah, you give up a little to your instincts but… You didn’t rape me, right?”

 

“You sound so fucking calm” huffed Matthew “I almost rape you”

 

“You wouldn’t” Replied Hiroto, Matthew turned to look at him and he saw the fox sporting a cocky smile “You care too much about me”.

 

“You shouldn’t trust that,” Said the voice in the speakers. Silva. “He could betray you at the first chance”

 

Matthew grimaced and Hiroto shrugged. Matthew was going to say something when he heard the door open.

 

“Your reward,” Said Hiroto as a chained man entered the room “He is sentenced to death, so you can eat him contently”

 

Matthew didn’t even wait to Hiroto to end his phrase when he was over the man, draining him at a steady pace. Oh, fuck yes! He missed drinking directly from the vein so much. The warm blood felt marvellous especially since he was famished. He moaned as he took every single drop of blood from the man. His wounds sealing and his arm starting to regenerate.

 

“Feeling better?” Asked Hiroto sitting near him, still with the cocky smile on his lips.

 

“Hell yeah,” Said Matthew dropping the dead man and licking his lips, before sitting at the side of the fox.

 

“You did it good tonight,” Said Hiroto raising his hand. Matthew lowered his head and the fox patted him. “You are getting better”

 

“That’s good” Replied Matthew purring at the way Hiroto caressed his hair “It would frustrate me if I didn’t get better after so much training”

 

“You still lack technique and self-restraint, though” Added Hiroto touching his wounded ear.

 

“I’m sorry,” Said Matthew caressing the fluffy ear. The soft fur was tainted red.

 

“It hurt” Pouted Hiroto “My poor fox ear”

 

“I would lick the wound, but…”

 

“My blood is poisoned?”

 

“I was going to say that maybe I won’t be able to stop again, but yeah, that too”

 

“You love teasing me, don’t you?” 

 

“I’d love to do more” Replied Matthew with a cocky smile, tracing the lips of the fox with his finger. Hiroto darted his tongue out and licked Matthew’s finger, then he took the digit into his mouth, looking at him lustfully and then…

 

“Shit! You bite me!” Whined Matthew yanking his hand away. Some blood oozed from the wound and had tainted Hiroto’s lips. Hiroto licked the blood in slow erotic motion. It was way too hot. 

 

Matthew caged Hiroto against the wall and lowered himself to kiss him, licking his lips as if he were asking permission, just to hear the fox moan and concede happily. Matthew started roaming his mouth.

 

“Matthew, you are needed at the High General’s room” Silva’s voice came from the speakers.

 

“Is this serious?” Whined Hiroto as Matthew broke the kiss “I’m starting to think these Incubi are greedy about you”

 

“And Commander Hiroto is requested by the Shadow Six… Something about a report and a lead”

 

“It could be that we have bad timing” Offered Matthew, caressing Hiroto’s cheek “But, fear not, my lovely fox, my ass is still your prize”

 

“I’ll collect, honey bat” Replied Hiroto spanking Matthew’s ass “And when I do, you’ll please me”

 

“It will be my _pleasure_ , sugar fluff” Replied Matthew standing reluctantly and giving Hiroto a small bow. Hiroto waved him away sighing before teleporting away.

 

Matthew exited the training room and found a couple of hunters waiting for him.

 

“Hands upfront,” Said one, Matthew gave him a questioning look but held his hand and the stump of his missing limb in front of himself

 

“You were requested to be brought in chains” Replied the hunter shackling Matthew’s hand with the slowly growing stump. Matthew was tempted to growl, but that was probably a bad idea. Why would Tarrick want him in shackles? He was being good, right? It was because he was ‘way too smart to the amount of freedom’? Maybe he was progressing too slow. 

 

Matthew looked at Tarrick’s door feeling dread fill his guts. He was told to wait until they gave him permission to enter and that was only making him nervous. Finally, he was called after ten minutes, his arm was regrowing slowly.

 

“He is hurt” Commented Prescott when Matthew entered Tarrick’s room.

 

“Minor injuries” Replied Tarrick without even looking up from his papers. “Say thanks to your teammate who has just take pleasure on fighting him until he agonizes”

 

“Minor?” Prescott approached Matthew and examined the chained stump “It seems like Hiroto has been being harsh to your pet, he is missing an arm”

 

“Just one? That’s good” Said Tarrick still invested in his paperwork “It seems like he won’t be using his bed at the infirmary tonight.”

 

“You didn’t even look at him and said his wounds were minor” Said Prescott raising his eyebrow “You don’t seem to care about your pet”

 

“I know his injuries are minor because that’s the order that was issued to Commander Hiroto” Replied Tarrick turning and giving Matthew a soft reassuring smile before turning to Prescott “He was ordered to train Matthew to learn to fight for his life but to not deal massive damage to him so he could be called anytime to the front lines”.

 

“So he is going soft on the vampire?” Prescott was talking as if Matthew weren’t here, and it was infuriating. Besides, why was he in Tarrick’s room? It couldn’t be… Right? 

 

“I’m not going soft on him” Hiroto appeared next to them, he was caked in blood and seemed angry, he turned to Tarrick “I’m taking my apprentice, we have a… Situation and he could help us with some… Insight” 

 

“Insight?” Prescott raised his eyebrow and looked at the stump, that had grown almost to his wrist. Prescott seemed to wonder what kind of insight could give a slowly regenerating stump. Matthew wanted to rip his smug face off.

 

“We need answers and Matthew could compel them out” Replied Hiroto, reaching for Matthew’s hand and stopping at the chains “Why is he chained?”

 

“You may take him with you” Agreed Tarrick before adding “Commander Prescott wanted him to be brought in chains for whatever reason he has”.

 

Hiroto grimaced “See you at the stone in five” and he teleported away.

 

Prescott seemed outraged and Matthew smiled at that. 

 

“I asked for him, first” Started Prescott annoyed.

 

“Hiroto is conducting a special investigation under the orders of the High King himself” Interrupted Tarrick “If he thinks Matthew could help his top-priority mission, then, by all means, he may have him.”

 

Prescott didn’t seem pleased by that answer.

 

“He should answer one question first, at least,” Said Prescott approaching Matthew “Why do you know a Guardian?”

 

“A what?” Matthew frowned “What’s a Guardian? Who is a Guardian?”

 

Prescott raised his eyebrow “Don’t play fool, vampire. Why do you know him?”

 

“I have no idea of what the hell you are talking about… Imperator” Said Matthew “And I have one minute to get to the stone”

 

“Let him, Prescott,” Said Tarrick reaching Matthew’s hands and unshackling him “He doesn’t know him, and probably is better that way”   
  
Matthew frowned again. What were they talking about? Who or what was that Guardian?

 

“Go, Matthew”

 

He bit his lip and ran towards the stone, barely making it before Hiroto activated it.   
  
  


 

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the series title begins to make sense... Sort of.


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew helps Hiroto, goes to a party and meets a peculiar group.
> 
>    
>  _“I’m a succubus, Matthew, I know to recognize attraction when I see it” Rosaline sounded outraged_
> 
> .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this new update. Here we will see more Rosaline/Matthew interaction, as well as some especial characters that I might or not(?) borrowed from a beautiful game.
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvelous characters don't belong to me. They are property of Jex Lane.
> 
> Asra, Nadia, Navra, Namar, Julian and Portia don't belong to me either [I wish]. They are property of Nix Hydra team. And they are here doing a little cameo.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 7**

Matthew followed Hiroto across the rooftops of a small town. He felt strangely uneasy, casting glances back occasionally. He felt… As being watched. For a moment he even imagined a set of golden eyes looking at him from the shadows.

 

Finally, Hiroto appeared on an iron staircase and entered by an open window. Matthew followed him and heard him talking in Japanese to his men. They had entered a modest apartment that was messy as if they just had one hell of a fight inside. In the centre of the room was a silver-chained vampire. 

 

“I need you to compel him to tell us the truth,” Said Hiroto pointing at the vampire. “He has the information we need and approaching from the dreamscape will take too long”

 

“The dreamscape?” Asked Matthew walking towards the vampire. He was a Lord, and his wings laid clipped a few feet from him. He was staked and an assassin was behind him, ready to take it off.   
  


“I’ll teach you later about it” Replied Hiroto who seemed almost angry. Matthew nodded and knelt down beside the Lord and grabbed his face.

 

“Let’s start this, then,” Said Matthew, Hiroto gave an order in Japanese and the assassin took the stakeout. The Lord thrashed but Matthew maintained his grip and looked at his eyes.

 

“You are going to answer every question with all honesty” Compelled Matthew and felt the will of the Lord fight back, he pushed a little bit more of power and dig his claws in his jaw until finally, he won. “All yours, Commander”

 

“Uh, Commander?” Hiroto smiled flirtatious at the title and approached the vampire with a serious frown “Then, tell me. What’s your name?”

 

“I’m Lord Stradius,” Said the vampire, Hiroto seemed pleased.

 

“Well, Lord Stradius. Where is the Guardian?” Matthew looked at Hiroto who was staring at the Lord.

 

“I don’t know any Guardian” Replied the Lord snarling.

 

“Are you sure about it?” Insisted Hiroto glaring at him “You know no emissary of Lyssandros?”

 

“No, I don’t” Spat the Lord, saying the truth because of Matthew’s compulsion.

 

“And the Prince?” Asked Hiroto playing with his daggers.

 

“He is…” The words didn’t leave the Lord’s mouth, because Hiroto slashed his throat.

 

“Dame,” Said Hiroto shaking his head before ordering something to the others in Japanese “It was useless, but thank you, Matthew”.

 

“Who is that Guardian and why is he so important?” Asked Matthew, Hiroto looked at him and narrowed his eyes, so Matthew explained: “Prescott asked me about him… Is it a vampire thing?”

 

“No…” Hiroto seemed to be wondering how much to say “A Guardian is a powerful creature, very dangerous, that serves a god”

 

“Do you think there is a Guardian of the Blood God around?” Asked Matthew, Hiroto nodded slowly and cast an annoyed glace at the window. Matthew saw a golden flash but when he looked again there wasn’t anything.

 

“It could have been just a power play or an illusion” Added Hiroto sighing softly “But still I and my team were entrusted to find him”

 

“What about the ‘Prince’?” Asked Matthew, tentatively. He knew that Hiroto silenced the Lord before he could say something about it, and it was extremely suspicious since he made Matthew compel him to get answers.

 

“It’s nothing you have to worry about” Replied Hiroto as a voice came from his comm. Matthew frowned. He needed to learn Japanese. “Ok, sugar blood, would you mind helping me with some more interrogations?”

 

“I wouldn’t” Replied Matthew smiling at the pet name “But I’m starving, fluff heart”

 

“You can drink from the next one” Promised Hiroto, Matthew nodded and followed the fox outside.

 

When they finally made it back to Ashwood the sun was a couple of minutes away and Matthew was completely exhausted. They didn’t get any information about the so-called Guardian and Matthew felt with even more questions that earlier that night. Not that he could think about them before falling on his bed as the sun rose.

 

And the next night he didn’t get time to think about it either. He was requested to start training the first hour in the night, and after he lost miserably against a really upset Hiroto, he was requested to assist again on the interrogation. All night until sunrise. 

 

And the next night, and the next, and the next week and the one after that. And soon Matthew fell into a comfortable yet draining routine. Not that he didn’t like it, though. He felt as if the constant training and use of his powers were just making him stronger, which only made Hiroto get rougher and went harder on him. It was good, it meant that the fox acknowledged him and his progress, which made him feel really good, as if he was getting really stronger. And there was that he can go outside the keep, running around hunting people. He felt almost free when he helped track down a suspect.

 

Maybe that was the reason why he put an expression of disappointment when he saw Rosaline rather than Hiroto opening the door. Rosaline frowned and put her hands on her hips, upset. The semi-transparent black cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline that she wore flutter around her legs in an almost ominous and unsettling way. She had thrown a not-that-formal attire in the chair for him and looked at him as if she wanted to kill him.

 

“What?” She said harshly “I’m not as good as your ‘ _ fluffy heart’ _ ?”

 

“That’s not…” Matthew mumbled approaching her. She growled and glared at him so he halted “I just was hoping for another long training night”.

 

“And here I was” snapped Rosaline pacing back and forth making her stilettos clack furiously against the floor “Thinking that maybe you’ll be missing attending parties and hanging with me” She seemed utterly hurt and that made Matthew felt worse “I was a fool… Of course, you prefer the hunters, you are a warrior, not a social”

 

“I never said that” blurted Matthew “I don’t prefer the hunters… I do miss hanging out with you, Rosaline”

 

“I don’t believe you” Replied Rosaline, her eyes full of sadness “You were so…  _ disappointed _ when you saw me enter”

 

“I… Fine, you win” Matthew looked down in defeat “I was disappointed, but not because it was you… It was because… I… I like it, okay? I like going outside, feeling the thrill of the hunt, the feeling of freedom…” Matthew felt like crying, he didn’t mean to hurt Rosaline, he just wanted to be free and roam around without caring and… Why was he sharing that? “You put a hold on me”.

 

Rosaline had the decency of seeming mortified. Matthew huffed and a growl stopped on his gut. Damn it, the fucking fox had done a good job making him control his instincts.

 

“I wanted to know why you were upset” Rosaline defended herself. Matthew crossed his arms.

 

“You could’ve asked, Rosaline” Retorted the vampire “And here I was, feeling horrible because I’d hurt your feelings”

 

“You did hurt my feelings”

 

“But I didn’t make you tell me how or why”

 

“I don’t think you are in a position to recriminate it, Mister ‘I’ll-compel-my-friend-betraying-her-trust”

 

“That was low” Matthew grimaced, and Rosaline shook her head covering her mouth as she realized what she said.

 

“I didn’t mean to…” She blurted apologetically, Matthew raised a hand to silence her.

 

“No, no, you are right,” He said swallowing the lump that formed on his throat “I am in no position to recriminate you for using hold on me”

 

“I know you didn’t mean to betray Silva and that you regret it,” Said Rosaline approaching slowly “That was so insensitive of me”

 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you either” added Matthew pouting, Rosaline hugged him.

 

“I know, I’m sorry…” She said hiding her face in Matthew’s broad chest “I know you love going outside and fighting and I know you love coming to parties with me too, I was just jealous”

 

“Jealous?” Matthew hugged her back and caressed her long soft hair.

 

“You call him with cute pet names and fool around him so much” She whined looking at him with a cute pout “I want you to flirt with me too”

 

“It’s not the same” He chuckled, “I like to embarrass Hiroto and to tease him... His reactions are  _ delicious _ ” He explained kissing her forehead “I won’t tease you, I’d rather court you”

 

“Oh, would you?” Rosaline kissed his jawline with her eyes glowing with desire. Matthew purred and slid his hands down the redhead's back.

 

“Shall I start?” Asked Matthew grabbing a handful of her ass and biting her bottom lip softly.

 

“Sadly we have this party to attend” She answered as if she’d rather stay with him in his room. “And you are supposed to mingle with all the incubi around”

 

“So I won’t be on duty tonight?” Asked Matthew smiling against the curve of her neck “And I will be able to have fun with you and the others?”

 

“Yes, you have a night off” Replied her arching her neck to expose it to the vampire “Courtesy of  _ Moi _ ”

 

“That sounds lovely” Matthew kissed her pulse and heard her heart skip a beat. He wanted to sink his fangs on her soft flesh. 

 

“Matthew?” Asked Rosaline, with a shallow breath. He moved away from her and smiled.

 

“Yes, m’ lady?” He asked caressing her back.

 

“Get ready,” She said kissing the corner of his mouth “The Wardens are waiting for us to escort us to Lady Nadia’s manor”

 

“The Wardens?” He asked as he grabbed the clothes she had prepared for him “Hiroto isn’t coming?”

 

“He is busy with some mission or something” Replied Rosaline shrugging as she sat on his bed “So you won’t have your  _ sugar fluff _ tonight”

 

“That’s how it sounds?” Asked Matthew making a face before entering the bathroom.

 

“You sound so  _ cheesy _ ” She cried before hearing the water run. She giggled a little as she waited for the vampire, looking around the room.

 

“I’m starting to think that maybe it was a bad idea to start that contest” Mumbled Matthew exiting the bathroom, dressed in black slacks and a blood-red button-up shirt. Rosaline smiled at the sight and walked towards him.

 

“What’s exactly the contest?” She asked grabbing his arm and walking with him out of the room.

 

“We are trying to see who can embarrass the other more until one of us can’t keep going with it” Replied Matthew as they walked down the halls of the keep.

 

“It’s a peculiar way to entertain yourselves” Giggled Rosaline “And… Did he reclaim his prize?”

 

“No” Matthew shrugged as they got to the entrance. The Wardens were waiting beside a van, one of them had a box with shackles and a blindfold. Other had a syringe with hawthorn. Seriously? 

 

“Hands” Ordered Silva. Matthew obeyed putting his hands forward.

 

“May I ask you to not knock me out?” Asked Matthew “I’m having a conversation with Lady Rosaline and would hate to let it on hold”

 

“You should just dull him” Added Rosaline with an authority “I want to chat with him in the road”

 

Silva grimaced but waved at the hunter with the syringe, who teleported away and came back with another filled with foxglove. Matthew lowered his head and smiled. Silva turned and walked towards the van. The hunter injected him and hushed onto the van, being followed closely by Rosaline.

 

“So… You were telling me that Hiroto hadn’t reclaimed his prize” Said Rosaline after the engine roared alive. Matthew nodded as one of the hunters put the blindfold over his eyes. He felt disoriented and dull. But at least he was conscious.

 

“We have a bad timing” Replied Matthew shrugging a little “That or Tarrick is really possessive”

 

“It could be both” Laughed Rosaline “After all, you seem very lovely with Hiroto, some even ask if he is your mate”

 

“He is my trainer” Replied Matthew making his voice sound upset “And my friend”

 

“You two look cute together” Commented one of the Wardens, and the others mumbled in agreement.

 

“Thanks” Replied Matthew with a cocky smile, trying to keep himself from the dizziness made by the foxglove “I’m trying hard to make all those cheesy lines so he gets embarrassed”

 

“I’ve never seen him blush the way he does with you” Commented Rosaline “What about you?”

 

“Me neither, my lady” Replied a Warden, being followed by his teammates denying having seen the fox act like that around anyone.

 

“Maybe he is in love with you, Matthew,” Said Rosaline cheerfully. Matthew gave her a soft condescending smile.

 

“He is not, my lady,” Said Matthew softly “He won’t allow himself to fell for me, he had put a wall between us”

 

“I’m a succubus, Matthew, I know to recognize attraction when I see it” Rosaline sounded outraged, but then she just sounded curious as she asked “A wall?”

 

“He is attracted to me, yes” Replied Matthew nodding “As I’m attracted to him. But it won’t be anything else, because of the wall he put so he won’t be attached to me and if given the order he would be able to kill me without feeling emotional about it”

 

“That sounds awful,” Said Rosaline and Matthew could tell she had tears in her eyes, even if he couldn’t smell or see them.

 

“He is an assassin, my lady” Replied Matthew “And a soldier, he knows that he has to obey the commands given to him and won’t get distracted by his feelings”

 

“You should learn a thing or two about it” Silva’s comment made Matthew grimace. She hadn’t forgiven him and he wasn’t sure she will someday.

 

“I’m trying” Mumbled Matthew, suddenly feeling inadequate. 

 

“You are doing good, Matthew” Rosaline put her hand on his shoulder comforting him “You are getting better”

 

“Thank you, Lady Rosaline” He smiled at where he supposed she was.

 

“You’re welcome, Matthew” Rosaline sounded so warm, and her touch was so comforting. Matthew felt the hold but let it be. It felt nice.

 

“But... “ Rosaline whispered, sitting by his side and resting her head in his shoulder “Don’t you think it’s romantic?”

 

“What?”

 

“You and Hiroto,” She said with a soft, longing tone “Two warriors that meet in the middle of a war, knowing that their feelings would distract them but orbiting each other nonetheless”

 

“You have a curious definition of what is romantic” Commented Matthew resting his head against her.

 

“I just think that you two are good for each other” Rosaline snuggled against him “You’d be a good influence for each other”

 

“Are you sure you are talking about the little fox and me?” Asked Matthew, incapable of seeing how he could be a good influence on the Japanese. Incapable of seeing anything, by the way.

 

Rosaline didn’t answer and the SUV stopped, so Matthew supposed they had arrived at their destination. They removed the blindfold and the shackles and he smiled at them.

 

“I’ll behave” He promised as he followed Rosaline out. They got to a fairly big estate, not as impressive as Tarrick’s or Queen Agleea, but it was as elegant. It had a beautiful garden full of exotic flowers and animal-shaped bushes. And the marble path that leads to the beautiful carved wooden doors was lined with red roses. Matthew admired the decoration as they entered the main hall. 

 

The walls were lined with detailed paintings of incubi, in a very art nouveau style, living their lives. The floor was carpeted in and it seemed to be a different pattern in each room. The walls showed different patterns too, subtle and delicate, to match each carpet but without taking attention from the artworks or the comfy and elegant furniture. Soon enough Matthew realized that every room has a theme on its own. It seemed like every room was a different party.    
  
He also realized that all the guest were wearing masks that complimented their dresses and suits. He looked concerned at Rosaline, who smiled brightly at him and winked.

 

“Don’t worry, we will get ours as soon as we talk to Lady Nadia” She reassured with a soft giggle before adding “And they aren’t able to see us until we get our masks, so don’t worry” 

 

“How?” Asked Matthew noticing that the guests evaded them but not looked at them, as if they were part of the furniture or something like that.

 

“Magic” Rosaline shrugged as they entered the main hall. It was blinding. Literally. The floor and the columns were bright golden, draped with rich red cloths. There were mirrors all over the walls and heavily decored chandeliers hang from the archways that supported the glass ceiling. The stars twinkled in the night sky and the full moon’s light bathed the highest part of the ballroom with an eerie silver light. There was a big golden throne slightly higher that a big silver and red divan in which a gorgeous bronze-skinned woman with long purple hair and a rather revealing dress laid. Lady Nadia, by the looks of it.

 

By her head, there was a white-haired man with tanned skin and a translucent outfit made of a silky and vaporous fabric, who was sitting on a comfy looking chair. By their feet there was an auburn-haired pale man in a black crow-themed outfit, laying on a soft looking poof and smiling at them. It couldn’t be.

 

Matthew tensed as they climbed the staircase towards them, Rosaline walking gracile as ever. As they got to them Rosaline nudged him a bit and he bowed. The woman got up smiling, the same as the white-haired man. The auburn-haired bowed his head and smiled flirtatiously at Rosaline. Matthew felt a growl form in his gut but stopped it there. It seemed like Hiroto’s training was helpful in this kind of situation too.

 

“So this is Matthew,” Said Lady Nadia after she and Rosaline exchanged a friendly greeting “He seems just as you said, Ros”

 

 “He is as impressive as you told us, Rosaline” added the white-haired man with a smug face. He was attractive, but not in an incubi way. “But he is surely uncomfortable with us talking about him as if he wasn’t here”

 

“Oh, I may beg your apologies, Matthew” nodded Lady Nadia “I’ve been too busy preparing this masquerade to fit what you’ll like that I got used to talking about you”

 

“To fit what I like?” Matthew frowned at that and the auburn man burst to laugh.

 

“Didn’t I told you to stay quiet, Julian?” Asked the white-haired looking at him annoyed.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” said Julian still laughing “But you have to concede, Asra, that his expression was  _ priceless _ . Am I right, Dia?”

 

“It’s rude to laugh at the guest, Doctor” Replied Lady Nadia before smirking “But you are right. It was priceless. You didn’t like the party, Matthew? I heard that you were the curious type, so I arranged as many curious sights as I could”

 

“It’s not that, Mylady” Matthew replied, still confused and tense “It’s just that I didn’t expect it. It’s a nice surprise, tho”

 

“Oh” Lady Nadia nodded and smiled at him warmly “Don’t worry, just the best for the man that saved one of my sisters and avenged two of my closest friends”

 

“One of your sisters?” Matthew frowned and it clicked. One of the succubi in house Moreau had the same nose and filled lips as Lady Nadia, but her hair was orange, not purple. Now that he thought about it when Rosaline showed him the faces of the six daughters of house Namar each one of them had a different hair colour. Seven daughters, if he counted the orange-haired one.    
  
“Navra hadn’t stopped talking about how brave you were,” Said Asra motioning them to sit. Matthew looked and there were two extra chairs as the one Asra just sit on. When did they appear?

 

“Asra is a magician” Explained Rosaline giggling as she sat. Julian reached her a cup and Matthew couldn’t keep the growl this time. He stopped at once and looked at their hosts worried, but Nadia and Asra seemed unfazed by it. It hurt his pride a little. 

 

“I told you to use the mask, Julian” Asra seemed really annoyed “If any of the other guest or  hunter notices…”

 

“Cut me some slack, Asra” Julian pouted “I can’t drink wine, nor tea. I can eat none of the delicacies from my homeland. I can’t dance on the tables…”

 

“You could dance on the table if you put the mask on” Retorted Asra. Nadia was ignoring them as she served tea to Rosaline and produced a bottle from a cooler under her divan. She reached to get a cup, served the dark red liquid on it and passed it to Matthew. Blood.

 

“Thank you, Lady Nadia,” He said as he took the cup and drink from it. She smiled and put the bottle in a small coffee table that appeared from thin air.

 

“You are so polite,” She said seeming pleased “So different from  _ someone _ I know”

 

“I could be polite” Jumped Julian, snaping from his discussion with Asra “I’m the finest example of grace and elegance”

 

“You are the finest example of why you shouldn’t try to cure vampirism, brother of mine,” Said a soft voice from beneath a curtain. A rather chubby woman with auburn hair appeared. She had a casual white and red outfit and had a cat mask. She had a tray full of delicacies in her hands and she put it on the coffee table before frowning and glancing at Asra “So there it was, huh?”

 

Asra shrugged and took a small cake from the tray. 

 

“Aren’t they hilarious, Matthew?” Asked Rosaline giggling at his tea.

 

“They are” He replied his brows furrowing further. Cure vampirism? What?

 

“I think we are going to break your friend, Rosaline,” Said Julian before making a cocky smile “So it’s better if we explain what’s happening here” Julian sat upright and coughed to clear his throat dramatically. The other three rolled their eyes. “This beautiful succubus is Lady Nadia, the owner of the household, and the best friend one could have.”

 

“It’s a pleasure” Lady Nadia smiled with half-lidded eyes as she sipped her tea

 

“By her side is Portia” Continued Julian with a bright smile “The most talented company lady in the world, and my lovely annoying sister” 

 

The alluded smacked the back of his head and smiled towards Matthew “Nice to meet you, I’ll stay and chat but I gotta go check everything is smooth going” She said winking and leaving by the door beside the curtains.

 

“That smug-looking man is Asra, auch” Julian jumped as Asra brushed his silver rings against his skin. He said a soft ‘ups’ but he didn’t seem sorry. Julian hissed and continued “Asra is Lady Nadia’s and this server best friend. He is also a talented magician or so I’ve been told”

 

“You have seen me do magic” Asra raised his brows.

 

“Yeah, sure, but I don’t believe in your thingamajiggy” Replied Julian making a dismissive gesture with his hand “I’m a man of science” He turned back to Matthew and continued “I’m Julian, Lady Nadia’s personal physician and jokester” 

 

“And a vampire who doesn’t believe in magic” pointed Nadia “Even if half of what has happened around him has to do with magic”

 

“I beg your pardon, Mylady,” Said Matthew still confused “But I thought that it was forbidden to relate with vampires”

 

“It is” Replied Asra smiling widely “But no one knows that Julian is a vampire, except us, his sister, and you two”

 

“Besides, it wasn’t as if he wanted to be turned” Added Nadia grimacing “He tried to defend my sister and got captured by Moreau. He was dumped not long after he was turned”

 

“I don’t blame them, he is really annoying” commented the magician who produced two masks from the folds of his outfit and started painting some runes and symbols on them.

 

“I do recall you crying and hugging me really tight when I came back” Retorted Julian serving more blood to Matthew and to himself “Ugh, I’m never going to get used to how it tastes cold”

 

“It’s better when is fresh… Hot from the vein” Agreed Matthew, Rosaline shifted a little.   
  


“It’s a shame we can’t give you fresh blood” Replied Nadia “I’m pretty sure a truce between our races is possible since we don’t want to lose anyone else and surely neither the vampires”

 

“You know that the High King is the one who decides if we made a truce or not,” Said Rosaline firmly, Nadia nodded and Asra served her a little more tea.

 

“I know, I know… But look at Matthew and look at Julian” She said gesturing both men “They are polite, caring and gentlemen” Matthew felt his chest filling with pride as she talked “It’s true they sometimes lose themselves to their instincts, but  _ we _ also lose ourselves to our instincts every so often. So what’s the real problem?”

 

“I don’t know… I’ve been talking to him, you know?” Said Rosaline with a soft sad sigh that made Matthew grimace “About stopping the war and so… But he seems so…”

 

“Distant?” Asked the other looking at the throne over them. She nodded and sighed “I’m sure he has his reasons, but… I wish all this war ended”

 

“We all do, Noddy” Replied both men, grabbing her hands in a soft touch.

 

“Well,” Said Julian standing up and reaching for a crow-themed mask from behind the poof and putting it on “Enough of sad talking. Let me show you the amazing stuff that our lovely Lady Nadia put together for you”

 

Asra shook his head smirking and handing over their masks. Rosaline’s was a petite mask of black lace with small rhinestones lining her eyes. It had curved points at each side ending in a rhinestone that looked like tears. It suited her wonderfully.    
  


Matthew’s was black with red lining around the eyes, it covered his nose and had pointy spikes in each cheek that seemed like fangs. Rosaline smiled in approval.    


  
Matthew and Rosaline thanked Asra and Nadia, who told them to enjoy the party thoroughly. Julian made an exaggerated bow and smiled at them.   


  
“Follow me, fellas” He hummed as he led them down the staircase. Matthew watched astounded how people kept partying around them without caring about them. It was strangely refreshing.    


  
“You see, the thingamajiggy of Asra keeps everyone’s identities concealed. Even if you reveal who you are the others will forget about it in seconds” Explained Julian as he walked down the ballroom to the main hallway. “High ranked Incubi don’t like that much this party because of that. They want to show themselves… The commoners, as Portia and me, or Incubi without a House, or hunters off-duty love them. They are all equal here from the moment they put on the masks”

 

“But, isn’t it dangerous?” Asked Matthew as they entered the first room. It had giant crystal aquariums full of merpeople and diverse creatures from the sea, that were dancing and performing in the water. Matthew stared in awe, smiling at the show.

 

“I thought you wanted to meet more creatures,” Said Rosaline at his ear “And Lady Nadia is an acquaintance of this particular underwater circus troop” 

 

Matthew nodded slightly. The merpeople were beautiful and their performance made him want to stay forever.

 

“Snap out of it, man” Julian cold hand made him go back to his senses “Those are experts on luring people to their demise. Though they promised to behave tonight”

 

Julian smirked at the merpeople and tug both Rosaline and Matthew hands to lead them to the second room. 

 

“It would be dangerous if anyone could wear those masks,” Said Julian, as they entered in what seemed to be the clearing of a forest. The carpet on the floor became grass towards the centre of the room, and some tree stumps were being used as chairs and tables by the attendants of the party. In the centre of the room was a centaur sharing stories. He was impresive. 

 

He was a white stallion with a black tail, and his torso was riped with muscles and his dark hair cascaded over his pale skin. He had amber eyes that looked in their direction for a moment before looking at the fake sky as he motioned his hand toward it. His voice was deep and reminded Matthew to the sound of a cascade.    
  
“He is Juniper, one of the finest tale-tellers in the world,” Said Julian motioning at the centaur “Not a fan of incubi, really, nor vampires” He added “He is here because he likes Asra. But Asra don’t like him that way, if you know what I mean” 

 

“Why? I wouldn’t mind be with him” Said Rosaline, and Matthew nodded. The Centaur was really handsome and, judging by the way he acompannied his words with gestures, seemed very gentle.

 

“Oh, you know Asra… He will never forget his assistant.” Julian’s voice sounded sad “Not that I will, either… But it was decades ago”

 

Matthew assumed that Asra’s assistant was dead, and nodded silently. He still felt really sad about Alyssa. Even if he did fell for Tarrick and had sex with several people since then.    
  
“Well, I was telling you” Said Julian beaming again. Matthew thought that he was a really sad person, because his smiles never reached his eyes. “Asra’s Masks only works on the people they are made for and only for the spawn of a night”

 

“So when the night is over it would be back to be a plain mask?” Asked Matthew as Julian lead them to another room.

 

“No, it will retain it’s form and decorations, but the magic will banish” Replied Julian “I still don’t understand how it works and I really don’t believe in magic, so I can’t explain it to you”

 

“I still found it funny” Commented Rosaline giggling as they entered a room filled with giant bubbles that floated arround with people inside, being pushed and pulled by small twinkling things “That you don’t believe in magic, nor incubi or vampires even after everything that has to happen”

 

“I’m sorry, M’lady” Replied Julian as he gestured one of the shinging little things. As it approached Matthew noticed the small butterfly-like wings and the humanoide figure. “But the negation is what keeps my mind healthy”

 

“They are fairies” Commented Matthew following the small fluttering fairies with his eyes as they circled them and encapsuled them in giant bubbles that started floating.

 

“They are special acquaitances of one of Noddy’s sisters,” Said Julian bouncing in his bubble. Matthew smiled and jumped, and the bubble bounced wiht him. It was funny. Lady Rosaline laid on hers and looked at Matthew with a smile.

 

The rest of the night was more of that. Julian was quite a chatty person and was explaining things as they walked from room to room. Every one of which had a different theme and a different creature that marvelled Matthew. There were shifters performing some stunts, and griffons and unicorns to pet, and fluffy two-tailed cats that walked in two legs and read fortunes.

 

In one room there where several kitsunes in human form dressed in traditional japanese clothes and where dancing some choreography. And Matthew wondered how Hiroto would look in a kimono.    
  


In another, there were several elves that showed their weapons skills in a choreographiated combat. And in another there where a buffet with several plates and delicacies and several tables dotted the room, facing a stage where a mixed race band was playing. In that, Julian jumped in a table and started dancing. 

 

He was really enjoying himself and he was starting to feel sad as the sun approached to the horizon. He will have to leave soon and return to his slave state. 

  
  
“I hoped you liked this” Lady Nadia had come to them, to the Naga’s room where they were seeing them perform. 

 

“I loved it” Replied Matthew beaming “I’m really thankful”

 

“I’m glad” Lady Nadia sat by his side “If you want I could arrange meetings with whoever you like…” And then she inclined towards him and whispered “I hope they recognize you as one of us soon, I really think you are fully an incubi… And a vampire, and therefore you prove everything I stand for”

 

“That our espices could live together?” He asked in a whisper.

 

“Yes,” She answered “Vampires and Incubi are more similar that anyone would care to admit, and we desire each other even more… So go ahead and end this pointless war”

 

Matthew smiled and nodded. He wished it was that simple, to be honest. 

 

“Oh, and Matthew?”

  
  
“Yes, Lady Nadia”   
  


“Please don’t ever mention Julian… As a precaution”   


  
“Of course, My Lady”

 

**_A Suivre_ **  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would prefer not to talk [yet] about the obviously hated/beloved character that is lurking in the dark because it would be a spoiler of what's coming. Just pay no attention to him ;)
> 
> I hope you don't mind the little cameos I made [and will make] through this series since they are there just to spice things up a little. :3
> 
> I hope you like this, see you again in 13 days~
> 
> -Mirai


	9. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew learns a thing or two about Hiroto and Tarrick.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _“I found you fascinating” Replied Tarrick picking up his caresses and kissing Matthew’s neck. “You are so full of curiosity and surprises, you never cease to amaze me, to prove that you are especial”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this little change of pace, and I hope this chapter would show you little more to where this story is headed. Not that I would tell, tho~
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all it's marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

#  **CHAPTER 8**

Matthew had resigned to train with the Wardens, not that they weren’t good. But Silva’s evident hate and guilt made him feel uncomfortable. He was also assigned to a trainee team from Ashwood Academy, especially when it came to battles. 

 

In the battles, the especial training with Hiroto proved effective. He was way more focused and it was easier for him to compel and control lords, and to use efficiently his blood and sexual energy. He also hadn’t lost control in a while, and he felt really proud of that.

 

Tarrick also seemed very pleased with that, as he praised him after every battle, and now and then he will call him to his room to treat him. And of course, he attended several parties, sometimes as a guest and sometimes on duty. He surely missed the fox when he was on duty; the other hunters were broody and silent around him.

 

After a month or so the kitsune came back. And he seemed exhausted and moody. 

 

“What?” Snapped the white-haired after a few minutes of Matthew intense staring “Do you want a picture?”

 

“I would love one” Replied Matthew in an attempt to make the fox smile “Maybe a little lewd so I could give it a better use”

 

Hiroto stared back and sighed “I’m sorry… I know you are trying to lighten the mood… But I’m… It’s been two long months”

 

“I’m sorry” Replied Matthew dropping his smile and hugging the fox. He let his head rest on top of the Japanese’s and purred softly “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable”

 

“It’s not that” Hiroto nuzzled against Matthew’s broad chest and sighed “I just… I failed”

 

Matthew didn’t need to ask what he was talking about since he knew he talked about the track mission that had him away and busy. He tightened the hug and caressed the white hair.

 

“Maybe he went back to his god” Commented Matthew in an attempt to console the shorter man.

 

“That’s what I’ve been telling them!” Cried Hiroto angrily “But they don’t want to believe me!” Hiroto looked at Matthew as if asking him to support him “Besides it’s not like they really care about it… They just told me that ‘I should go back to work’ as if they hadn’t assigned me that tracking work!”

 

“That’s awful” Mumbled Matthew, without knowing what to say. Hiroto whined and frowned his brows. Matthew caressed his back. “At least you are back… I missed you a lot,  _ Commander _ ”

 

Matthew knew that Hiroto loved when he said ‘Commander’ with his husky sexy voice, and he could see the fox stir when he said it.

 

“I missed you too” Replied Hiroto forcing a little smile, “They told me you have been doing great”

 

“I had a really amazing teacher that helped me become better” Matthew caressed Hiroto’s cheek and the fox nuzzled against his hand, smiling softly. “And while he was away, I kept at it so he would be proud when he came back”

 

“You have no idea of how much I like being your trainer” Whispered Hiroto before releasing the hug “Now, let’s get to the training grounds… Tonight I’m showing you the dreamscape”

 

Saying that he was not excited with the prospect of knowing more about the ‘Dreamscape’ would be a total lie. And as they walked towards the training room he can only wonder about what exactly was that and why Hiroto seemed so serious about it.

 

“You know… The other day I saw several Kitsunes” Commented Matthew as they entered the room. There was a large tatami mat in the centre of the room with a couple of pillows one in front of the other.

 

“Did you?” Hiroto raised his eyebrow and sit on one of the pillows with his legs crossed.

 

“At Lady Nadia’s Party, they were cute” Nodded Matthew “But not as beautiful as you”

 

“Yeah, sure” Hiroto blushed a little and smiled, motioning Matthew towards the other pillow.

 

“I’m serious about it,” Said Matthew sitting in front of him, “But, to be honest, I’m really curious about something…”

 

“What now?” Hiroto asked stretching a little and shaking his ears “You have one last question before we get serious for this session”

 

“How do you look in kimono?” Matthew asked, and Hiroto blushed a little more.

 

“Maybe I’ll show you later” Replied Hiroto before drawing a deep breath. “Now, to the lesson”

 

“Right…” Matthew nodded and mimicked the fox.

 

“The dreamscape is the land of dreams” Explained Hiroto closing his eyes. Matthew admired him a bit, licking his lips and letting his eyes roam the smaller body. “Eyes closed, Matthew”

 

“Sorry” He apologized as he realized Hiroto had opened an eye and was staring at him. He promptly closed his eyes and hear a soft hum.

 

“As I was saying” Continued Hiroto, his voice soft and soothing “The dreamscape is the land of dreams; you can enter through your dreams or meditation and therefore enter one person’s mind”

 

“So you can read my mind,” Said Matthew focusing in the rhythmic breathing of the fox.

 

“Not  _ reading _ … Enter” Chuckled Hiroto “If you allow me I could see your memories of something and learn from them”

 

“As blood?” Asked Matthew feeling relaxed.

 

“I’m not sure about it, I’m no vampire” Replied Hiroto with a soft playful tone. “But since you ask I guess you can also see memories from blood”

 

“And what if I don’t allow you in?” He wasn’t so sure about sharing his thoughts with the kitsune “Is there a way to keep you from getting in?”

 

“If you don’t allow me then I couldn’t get in” Replied Hiroto with a soft laugh “Why?” He asked with a teasing smile “You don’t want to let me see your sexual fantasies?”

 

“I like my privacy” Defended Matthew, but followed the idea train that the fox rode with the hope that it would be enough to cover his nerves about his plan of learning everything and ran away “I can’t have sex without having someone to watch me so at least I should be able to fantasize by my own”

 

“I concede you that” Agreed Hiroto and took a deep breath “Then, I’m going to ask you permission this time. Know that most of the times you don’t get asked but rather your mind gets breached”

 

“Have you been in my mind before?” Matthew felt a little self-conscious.

 

“No Matthew, you would have noticed” Replied Hiroto and Matthew could almost hear his smile “Let me show you… First, relax as much as you can”

 

“I’m relaxed” 

 

“No, you are not… You panicked as soon as you thought I had breached your mind before”

 

“Can you blame me?”

 

“Just relax… Almost as if you were going to sleep”

 

Matthew nodded and breathed softly, trying to soothe himself with the sensation of the air. A few minutes later he felt as if he were sliding into a calm sleep.

 

He felt a soft hand on his shoulder and he opened his eyes. In front of him was Hiroto, dressed in a navy blue kimono with a pattern of red foxes and leaves. They were standing on a red bridge across a river. A quiet forest expanded around them.

 

“Where…?”

 

“It’s a memory” Replied Hiroto laying on the bridge railing “From a long long time ago… You wanted to see me in a kimono, didn’t you?”

 

“You look beautiful,” Said Matthew approaching him “It’s a cute kimono”

 

“It’s from my childhood… It was a gift from a Miko of an Inari temple” Hiroto touched the sleeve of the kimono “I haven’t used one since then…” 

 

“It suits you” Commented Matthew looking around “So… You put one of your memories in my head”

 

“Yes”

 

“So now we are in my head”

 

“That’s right”

 

“And you could know everything about me like this?”

 

“It’s not that simple… I could leave you a message, or track you down, right now” Hiroto smiled “But I cannot get the information you don’t want to give me”

 

“So how do you use this to get information?” Matthew felt curious, Hiroto seemed pleased and took his hand.

 

“Usually I make a memory or took over a dream… And I slowly use it to get the information, it’s like making someone talk when is drunk or drugged” Said Hiroto as he led him to a small red shrine with tall fox statues on the front. But when they entered, rather than the expected shrine to the Shinto gods, they found themselves on Matthew’s first apartment's living room. Matthew frowned but smiled. He missed that place.

 

“Or I could make it a nightmare and force them to tell me, traumatizing them” Added Hiroto sitting on the couch, “There’s a catch, though. If you get wounded here, your body will be wounded”

 

“What? How?” Matthew furrowed his eyebrows as he sat on the couch beside the white-haired.

 

“‘Here’ is your mind, and what we ‘see’ of each other is our spirit” Explained Hiroto putting a small silver coin on Matthew’s hand. It didn’t burn him and it surprised him “And since it’s a dream, we can control how it works… Mostly”

 

“So… Silver doesn’t burn here?” Asked Matthew touching the coin and looking at it with an intense gaze.

 

“Or it could melt your skin right away” Commented Hiroto with a knowing look. “It depends on who’s mind it is and how strong they are”

 

Matthew nodded and Hiroto smiled.

 

“So we are going to practice to enter each other’s mind and then I’ll show you how to protect your mind from breaching” Said Hiroto and kissed Matthew softly. “Every time you get it well I’m going to reward you by showing you how do I look in different clothing”

 

“I would prefer seeing you naked… In the bed or a bathtub” 

 

“If you get this quickly maybe we could have time to do so…” replied Hiroto winking. Matthew smiled and nodded.

 

“Let’s do this then”

 

I was harder than he thought, and by the time a hunter came to pick him up to his training with the Wardens he had just breached Hiroto’s mind successfully for the first time.

 

“We will try this again tomorrow,” Said Hiroto stretching in a cat-like way. Matthew pouted.

 

“You won’t train me anymore?” Asked the vampire stretching a little.

 

“I’m training you” Hiroto smiled.

 

“You know what I mean” Matthew pouted again. Hiroto giggled.

 

“You liked my training method that much?” He asked with a rather pleased smile.

 

“Of course” Replied Matthew “I progressed faster, and it was challenging and rewarding”

 

“So the Wardens don’t meet your expectations?” Asked Hiroto amused.

 

“No… Well, they do are an elite team” Said Matthew shrugging a little “But… I don’t know…It’s not my style”

 

“You should learn how to be part of a team too, you know?” Said Hiroto standing and ruffling Matthew’s hair “Look at me, I’m a bright and talented assassin who can stand his ground. But I’m the Leader of a Team and part of another”

 

Matthew nodded. It had sense, they were at war and hunters always worked in teams to have greater chances of survival.

 

“So… Now it’s team training?” Commented Matthew, Hiroto nodded solemnly.

 

“It’s really important. I can tell you years worth of stories about me and the Shadow Six or the Argonauts” Said Hiroto with a serious tone that was worthless because of his amused smile.

 

“I would love to hear those” Said Matthew standing and acknowledging with a nod the hunter that waited for him.

 

“You are going to have to enter my mind for some” Retorted Hiroto at Matthew’s ear before he walked away. 

 

“Deal”

 

It took him two more days before he could see the first memory of Hiroto and the Argonauts, and it was worth the deep lash that the fox carved on his chest out of surprise. It showed Hiroto and the others taking down a whole keep worth of vampires, with the help of a handful of other hunters and three warrior incubi. The memory was a bit fuzzy and changed places every few minutes due to Hiroto’s teleportation, but it still filled Matthew with the thrill of a battle. 

 

Hiroto was standing a few meters from him and was frowning.

 

“You breached my mind” growled Hiroto. Matthew looked at him with a wide smile and tilted a bit his head when he noticed that Hiroto was wearing only a loincloth.

 

“I thought that the whole point of the training was that” Answered Matthew a bit confused “What with the attire?”

 

“I was meditating” Hiroto seemed really angry and Matthew suddenly felt bad. He just wanted to try once again since he had the opportunity to go to bed with spare time to the sunrise.

 

“I’m sorry” He mumbled feeling ashamed. It was the first time in their whole relationship that the hunter had looked at him like that, and it made him feel horrible. He had thought that he and Hiroto were beyond that point where the fox would be mad at him because of his fast-paced learning.

 

“No… No… It’s not like that” Hiroto rubbed his eyes in a rather exasperated motion “I was… I just wasn’t expecting you”

 

“I’m sorry” Repeated Matthew, lowering his head. He didn’t want Hiroto to be mad at him, especially no when the fox was the only hunter that treated him like an equal and was comfortable around him. “I won’t do it again, Commander”

 

“No, Matthew” Hiroto touched Matthew’s cheek and made him look at his eyes with a soft gentle touch. Hiroto looked more tired than earlier that night and it worried Matthew a little. Hiroto gave him a little weary smile “You just surprised me, Matthew. And I must say, I’m very proud of it. I haven’t been surprised in this state since…” Hiroto trailed off before caressing Matthew’s cheek “You are truly amazing, Matthew”

 

Matthew smiled at the praise and grabbed the hunter’s hand on his. He sighed.

 

“Still, I’m sorry… You seemed really frightened and angry” Said Matthew, this time without his voice filled with the fear of losing the closest thing to a best friend he had at the moment. Rosaline didn’t count. She was amazing and they share some kind of bond, but she didn’t understand him as the fox did.

 

“As I said, I haven’t been surprised like this in a while” Replied Hiroto rubbing his thumb against Matthew’s. “You know… It’s almost frightening the fast pace you learn…” Hiroto furrowed his eyebrows and his eyes darkened for a moment before he raised his gaze and met Matthew’s “You should pretend to be a little dumb, for your good”

 

“You mean I shouldn’t use what I learn this fast?” Matthew frowned. Hiroto had never been scared or surprised for his fast learning. If anything he seemed happy and it only encouraged him to make training even more demanding.

 

“You can use it” Hiroto seemed particularly serious and it gave Matthew the chills “But you should be careful about how you do it and who sees it… They get scared about things like this easily”

 

Then Matthew understood what the fox meant. And as the fox showed a couple more memories about battles with the Argonauts he decided that maybe he will play dumb for a while. Just to keep things easy for himself. Who knows what would Tarrick do if he knew that Matthew could enter other people’s minds? Especially when he was supposed to be just learning about the dreamscape to maintain his inner desires in check. Or that was what he had said. 

 

Matthew knew that Hiroto had been teaching him a bit too much for Tarrick’s liking. He had discovered it a long time ago in one of his visits to the High General’s room when he said that he didn’t like that Hiroto was expending that much time with him and teaching him “unnecessary” things. 

 

He didn’t want the kitsune to get in trouble for what he had shown him on his memories, and he didn’t want to get in trouble himself because he was starting to really enjoy his stay at Tarrick’s place. He spent most of the time training, attending to parties and doing hunter’s stuff, what kept his mind busy enough to stop him about his slavery. He didn’t feel like a weapon anymore, or at least, he felt as much as a weapon as every other hunter and that made him feel a little better.

 

Besides, Tarrick was starting to act warmer toward him. They saw each other at least once every two days, even if it was only a brief talk before entering a battle or a quicky after a party. And, even if Matthew was reluctant to admit it, it just made Matthew want more of the incubus. He was truly falling in love with him and that felt so wrong on so many levels.

 

Especially if he took account of all the ways the incubus had hurt him. It wasn’t healthy at all.

 

That was what Matthew was thinking, a couple of weeks later, as he sped up between the fighting hunters, sometimes helping them disengage the vampire they were fighting with if it won’t take him too much time. He barely avoided a vampire tossed by Tane who looked at him with all the intent of picking up a fight. He shook his head and avoided him too, he didn’t have time for that.

 

He had smelled Tarrick’s blood, an awful lot of it, and when the High General hadn’t answered the comm he asked Denith for permission to move away from the main fray and go looking for Tarrick. Since neither Tarrick nor his assigned team of hunters answered the comm, Denith granted him permission and urged him to find the High General fast and bring him back in the best possible condition.

 

Matthew found Tarrick clawing at a Lord’s back. His arms had barely the strength to move and he was covered in nasty looking wounds. By their feet where several plucked and ripped trees, as well as several dead hunters and decaying vampires, few of them seemed like Lords. The Lord had his fangs deep sunk on Tarrick’s neck. Damn it.

 

Matthew grabbed the Lord by the wings and ripped them off violently in rage, his vampire guise coming forward completely as he tore, ravaged and destroyed the filthy vampire that dared to touch his Tarrick. The incubus smiled when he saw him, but wasn’t able to keep standing, his eyes unfocusing as his consciousness came and went. Matthew managed to catch him before he hit against the floor and gently laid him down.

 

“May I cure your wounds, Master?” Asked Matthew, referring both to pour some of his blood and lick the wounds to seal them. Tarrick closed his eyes and nodded. His heart was slowing and he seemed to have difficult to breathe. Matthew started to attend the different wounds that peppered Tarrick’s body despise the armour. He licked the scratches and poured some blood on the deep grooves to speed up the healing. Tarrick raised his hand and looked at him.

 

“M-Matthew…” It was a soft strangulated plea, and Matthew nodded. He knew that healing the wounds were only slowing the death of the incubus, but not healing him thoroughly. He had no other choice. 

 

“It’s okay, I’m here” He whispered at Tarrick’s ear, before kissing him softly, giving him the energy he had stored on his soavik. 

 

After a couple of other incubi savings, he started to maintain his soavik storage energy untouched in battle, to have enough to be able to cure somebody if necessary. And, in a few occasions, he even recharged it after curing somebody, just to be sure he could save another life. 

 

Tarrick slowly started to respond to the kiss and, grabbing a handful of Matthew’s hair, deepened it as he took everything Matthew’s soavik had to offer. Matthew slowed down a bit the flow. Another thing he learned in battle. And tapped Tarrick’s chest to make him release him from the grip. Tarrick conceded reluctantly. 

 

Matthew retired Tarrick’s bottom’s armour and the remainings of his clothes and took off his own. Tarrick growled, hunger pouring from him. Matthew gave a shaky breath and took a couple of steps back when Tarrick didn’t change his size. Tarrick growled but become smaller, shrinking with his armour, and held his hand towards him. Matthew approached and Tarrick’s took his hand and yanked him in a tight embrace to start kissing again.

 

“I…” Started Tarrick, and Matthew kissed him softly, caressing his cheek and giving a slow nod.

 

“Don’t worry” He said sliding his hand down Tarrick’s torso and smiling as he heard the incubus’ breath hitch. “I’m all yours, take all that you need, Master”.

 

Tarrick made a deep growl, his eyes bright purple fixed on him with hunger and something Matthew couldn’t identify. Matthew moaned loudly as he felt Tarrick grab his ass and line it with his huge rod. He trembled as he felt Tarrick entering him, the silky lube produced by his member easing the intrusion a bit, just enough to not hurt a lot. 

 

Tarrick sighed contently as soon as he was fully seated inside Matthew and ravaged the vampire lips passionately as he started trusting. Matthew moaned and tried to respond the kiss in kind, his hands roaming down the incubus body. Matthew could feel how Tarrick was getting stronger, as his trusting picked up a pace and a goddammit pleasurable hold wrapped him tightly. He cried in pleasure, feeling his mind went blank as Tarrick put him down and started ramming him. 

 

“T-tarrick… More” Were the only coherent words he could form since he was completely overwhelmed by sensations. He could feel Tarrick thrusting hard against him, his hands roaming his chest sending flows of pleasure, the tail coiling around his shaft stroking it.

 

_ Thump. _

 

Shit. That was it. Too much.

 

_ Thump. _

 

He came hard. But Tarrick didn’t stop moving against him.

 

_ Thump. _

 

Tarrick was talking, but he couldn’t make sense of the words. Was he really talking?  

 

_ Thump. _

 

He was in all fours, and Tarrick plunged deep inside him. He could felt the incubus hands roaming his body, spreading some of that silky thing that smelled oh su much like Tarrick.

 

_ Thump. _

 

He was in complete ecstasy and Tarrick’s smell filled his nose as both exploded in heat. Tarrick’s thick warm cum filling him.

 

_ Thump. _

 

Tarrick was holding him tight as he kept thrusting in the afterglow.

 

_ Thump. _

 

He felt weak. His brain was a puddle and his only coherent thought was ‘ _ fuck _ ’.

 

_ Thump _ .

 

A deep growl surged from the bottom of him. Why? He could felt something was wrong but he was too elated to pinpoint what was it.

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

Tarrick turned him as if he was a ragdoll. His hands around Matthew’s neck in a way too posesive manner. Tarrick was looking at him as if he was just a piece of meat. 

 

_ Thump. Thump _ .

 

Matthew realized he was trashing, trying to get away. Tarrick’s claws embedded in his neck’s skin. The pain cleared Matthew’s mind.

 

Thump. Thump.

 

Panic flooded Matthew when he realized that it wasn’t Tarrick anymore, or maybe he hadn’t been Tarrick since the beginning. It was Monster Tarrick.

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

And it was feeding too much from him. He struggled to maintain his consciousness.

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

Matthew grabbed Tarrick’s wrists and he growled deep. Matthew growled in response, clawing him.

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

He tried to took Tarrick’s claws from his neck, but he was way too strong and he himself was draining rapidly. 

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

Fucking incubus. Wait… Incubus.

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

Matthew closed his eyes and focused on the few coils of blood energy that he had left. He hoped it would work.

 

_ Thump. Thump. _

 

He focused on every inch of skin that was touching Tarrick and tried hard to push a hold, a soothing hold.

 

_ Thump. _

 

Tarrick’s grip loosened enough for him to yank them apart from his throat, and with red eyes, he glanced at him.

 

_ Thump. _

 

Tarrick was not wearing the fucking lenses. Nice. 

 

_ Thump. _

 

Matthew used a small strand of energy to cure his throat and showed the incubus his fangs.

 

“Calm down” Compelled Matthew in a deep growl. Tarrick’s will fought hard, but Matthew was completely focused on the compulsion and easily overpowered it. It was a good thing that his training with Hiroto was about to maintain a clear head at the very end.

 

“Matthew…” The soft choking sound that came from Tarrick lips as he realized what had happened was almost heartbreaking.

 

“Master” Mumbled Matthew, wondering how much time he would remain conscious and scared he noticed that he was at his control threshold.

 

“I’m sorry” Tarrick caressed his cheek with a worried look. Matthew’s gaze fell on his wrist, the small pulse pumping below the skin.

 

“Master… You are heavy…” He managed to tap Tarrick’s shoulder “And smell so fucking good”

 

“You may take some of my blood” Replied Tarrick, exiting Matthew’s tight ass and taking a few steps away from him. Matthew moaned as he felt the huge cock leave him. Tarrick smiled and scouted the vampire to cradle him in his arms. Matthew nuzzled against his neck, licked above the vein and sunk his fangs deeply. 

 

Fuck yes!

 

He moaned at the intoxicating taste of incubus’ blood and pulled enough blood to avoid the imminent collapse of his blood pouches. His soavik ached.

 

“Matthew” Tarrick tugged Matthew’s hair and he reluctantly took his fangs off and licked the wound before looking at the incubus.

 

“You scared me,” He said softly, resting his forehead against Tarrick’s.

 

“I lost control…” Tarrick avoided Matthew’s gaze.

 

“That too” Conceded Matthew. Tarrick lifted his gaze giving him a questioning look and Matthew caressed his cheek “When I smelled your blood… So much blood, I fear I would not make it on time to save you”

 

“It’s a good thing you are incredible fast” Replied Tarrick giving Matthew a tender kiss “Thank you for saving me”

 

“It was a  _ pleasure _ ” Matthew managed to joke, feeling completely drained both physically and mentally. 

 

Tarrick shook his head and nuzzled him, just to stop abruptly and tighten his grip around the vampire.

 

“Master?” Asked Matthew worried.

 

“You… Saved another incubus tonight?” It was a simple question, in a nonchalant tone. Matthew frowned. Was Tarrick jealous?   


 

“Yes, Master” He replied with a small cheeky smile “A warrior whose wings were clawed out by a Lord and then plummeted to his death…Well, I caught him before he hit the floor, but he was in critical condition”

 

“You smell like him” Tarrick separate himself from Matthew enough to look at him. His intense gaze filled with cold-blooded possessivity made Matthew shiver “Don’t ever come to me smelling like another person again”

 

“The next time I’ll shower before coming to rescue you” Ironized Matthew, showing Tarrick his tongue.

 

“It’s up to you, then” Replied Tarrick grimacing “If you want to suffer what just happened again”

 

“I’d rather no” Matthew grimaced, feeling his asshole sore and so full of Tarrick thick and warm cum. Shit. He was hard again. Tarrick smiled and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead.   


 

He put Matthew down, took the vampire’s clothes and dressed him carefully. Matthew just purred at the attentions and gave the incubus a tired smile. When both were as decent as they could despite the circumstances Tarrick scouted Matthew again and embraced him.

 

“Come on, my Warrior,” He said standing up and unfurling his wings, with Matthew still held against his chest. “The battle seems to be over and the sun is soon to raise”.

 

Matthew nodded as the incubi soared and smiled as he felt the wind in his face. He could see the battlefield from above and he noticed Tarrick was right. The fight was almost over, corpses from both sides littering the ground, staked vampires being dragged by surely injured hunters, incubi warriors flying around and swooping down to pick up people in critical condition.

 

“Did we win?” Asked Matthew seeing the number of hunters and incubi dead. It didn’t seem like a victory to him.

 

“We prevailed” Replied Tarrick as they flew past the estate. Matthew frowned and then he saw where Tarrick was aiming. The teleport stone. 

 

“Tarrick!” Silva was there, helping the evacuation of the wounded it seemed. Her eyes moisturized as she saw Tarrick arrive. “You are alive”

 

“Of course I am” Replied Tarrick as if Matthew hadn’t found him in the doorsteps of death a couple of hours before. “I won’t die in such a minor skirmish” 

 

“You should’ve let me accompany you, rely on me more” Frowned Silva and her eyes fell on Matthew, she furrowed her eyebrows further.

 

“Next time you’ll come with me, I promise” Conceded Tarrick stepping on the teleportation stone “About relying on you, I’m now relying on you to clean this mess as I go to my state to finish curing my wounds”   


 

“I thought you say you were fine” Ironized Silva looking at Tarrick as if she was saying ‘You just want to get home to fuck him, right?’.   


 

“I said I was alive, not completely fine” Replied Tarrick smiling and tightening his grip on Matthew, as answering ‘Of course’. Matthew wasn’t sure he would be able to endure another round.

  
“I’ll take care of this with Lady Denith” Said Silva before activating the teleportation stone.   


 

Matthew felt like he would have puked if he would have enough blood in his system to do so. Maybe he was indeed way too weak. Tarrick climbed with him to the back of a van and put him down in the seat next to him and turned his back to Matthew. He was cold and distant all the ride back his keep. Matthew felt sad; he wanted that Tarrick kept caressing his hair and holding him tight against his broad chest. It made him felt wanted and loved.    


 

When they arrived Tarrick ordered some hunters to pick him up, to get him fed and cleaned. Matthew felt disappointed as he was taken away, letting the hunters do what they were told. He wanted that Tarrick himself took care of him, that he fed him with blood and sex and to shower with him and maybe cuddle a bit before the sun knocked him down.    


 

When the hunters decided he was presentable and had fed enough they took him to Tarrick’s room. It smelled like sex. Tarrick must have fed recently. Matthew grimaced as he entered the room and looked at his cot. It has been months since he last used it, since every time he had come lately he had slept with Tarrick on his bed.    


 

Tarrick entered the room at that moment and hugged him from behind. He smelled clean, with his strong earthy smell tickling Matthew’s nose. He was freshly showered.

 

“You did it wonderful tonight” Praised Tarrick at Matthew’s ear, his hands caressing the chest of the vampire “I’m so proud of you, my Warrior”

  
“Tarrick…” Said Matthew, and he felt Tarrick still a bit since he only used his name for intimate moments now “Do… Do you like me?”

  
“I found you fascinating” Replied Tarrick picking up his caresses and kissing Matthew’s neck. _“_ You are so full of curiosity and surprises, you never cease to amaze me, to prove that you are especial”

  
Matthew looked at Tarrick and faked a smile. That wasn’t the answer he wanted but it was okay, maybe his love was unrequited and he should be satisfied with being by Tarrick’s side and fucking with him every now and then. Tarrick smiled and kissed him. The kiss was tender and Matthew was relieved that Tarrick couldn’t pass his mental barrier anymore. He had learned to conceal his love feelings deep inside where the incubus couldn’t reach so the rejection wouldn’t be so painful to him.

  
Tarrick kept kissing him, this time was soft and caring, as he guided Matthew to the bed. They lay side by side and Tarrick hugged him.

  
“Let’s rest, my Warrior,” He said softly, as he cuddled the vampire. Matthew snuggled against him and caressed in kind. Just enjoying the warm feeling that filled his chest and the company. He did his best to ignore the painful voice on the back of his mind that kept telling him that Tarrick didn’t love him and that he was just a weapon and a good sex partner to him.

  
He felt asleep before the sun rose.

 

**_A Suivre_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This particular chapter was made to show yet another facet of Matthew, Hiroto and Tarrick and their relationship. And of course to show a couple of plot-relevant facts and moments that would make sense after a while. 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter, it was particularly interesting to write and to unravel. 
> 
> I'm starting to understand what Jex Lane meant when she said that Tarrick was a demanding Incubus and that Matthew was loud and needy. Haha~
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading~
> 
> From Xadia,
> 
> Mirai


	10. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew has a night-off with Tarrick.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _Matthew wasn’t sure if he was playing with him, or if he was actually asking. He didn’t want to enter Tarrick’s mind to get those answers_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time I'm trying to show you some plot-relevant stuff mixed with some hot sex.
> 
> THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS M/M INTERCOURSE, you may proceed under your own risk. 
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 9 

When Matthew woke up he was still at Tarrick’s bed, but the incubus wasn’t there. Frowning he looked around and saw him exiting the bathroom freshly showered, in slacks and a button-up shirt. He seemed almost comfy.

 

“You finally wake up” Said Tarrick with a soft smile “I was thinking about getting you to the hospital wing” 

 

“I’m fine” Matthew replied, stirring a bit and following Tarrick with his gaze. “Are _you_ ok?”

 

“Yes, Matthew, I’m fine” Tarrick sat down by his desk to Matthew disappointment “Thanks to you”.

 

“I’m happy to help” Matthew got up and walked toward the shower slowly. He knew Tarrick didn’t like that he was dirty for long, but he also knew Tarrick didn’t give him permission to use his shower. He sent a gaze above his shoulder and saw Tarrick nodding in approbation. He entered the shower smiling and cleaned himself at a happy-go-lucky pace.

 

“I’m starting to think you enjoy seeing me get hurt” Commented Tarrick as Matthew started humming Illertha’s song while he dressed. Matthew stopped abruptly and looked at him bewildered.

 

“I won’t ever…”

 

“Because you enjoy a little too much _healing_ me”

 

Matthew grunted and frowned. His good mood totally ruined. He sat at his longtime-no-used-cot and crossed his arms. He felt outraged at the innuendo and he knew Tarrick realized it when he turned his head and his smile dropped.

 

“Are you mad at me, Matthew?” 

 

Tarrick raised from his chair and walked toward his bed. Matthew didn’t bother to say anything, the answer was very much clear. Tarrick sat at his bed and patted it.

 

“Come here”

 

“I won’t, _Master,_ ” Matthew said the word nonchalantly, but he knew his eyes betrayed the hurt he felt. Tarrick sighed.

 

“I didn’t mean to upset you” Said Tarrick, Matthew raised his eyebrow. Yeah, sure. As he was dumb enough to believe him.

 

“You fought bravely back there” Now Tarrick was appealing to that side of Matthew that enjoyed his praises and wanted to make him proud. That was low. And lame.

 

“I always fight bravely for the Incubi” replied Matthew looking at his fingernails, knowing it will get to Tarrick’s nerves. 

 

“The other Wardens reported that you follow orders flawlessly, and helped them clean the vampires efficiently” Tarrick ignored Matthew’s response as he continued to try flattering the growing ego of the vampire, “Even the Argonauts said you were amazing”.

 

“Did they?” Matthew curiosity got the best of him, as always. But who could blame him? The Argonauts were the elite group, the best of the best. And Hiroto just won’t stop sharing awesome stories of their battles. Not that those bothered him.

 

“That was before I was outnumbered, though” Added Tarrick, with a playful smile.

 

“I got there as fast as I could and saved you, didn’t I?” Growled Matthew in response, his eyes flashing red in anger.

 

“And I’m thankful you worry for me enough to risk your life and your perfect behaviour” Replied Tarrick. His soft smile was difficult to ignore for Matthew, especially when he knew it was only for him. 

 

“You are the one that seems to enjoy getting hurt” grunted Matthew, balling his fists.

 

“It’s one of my kinks, but I assure you, I wasn’t thinking about that in the middle of a battle” Tarrick’s response made Matthew look at him with curiosity and excitement. But no. He wasn’t going to let Tarrick win at that. Not this time.

 

“So the Argonauts praised me?”Adventured him, changing the subject. Tarrick looked a bit disappointed.

 

“Yes,” Tarrick’s gaze felt intense “Even if you lack proper teamwork and tend to try to do everything on your own. Their words, not mine. I’m with them on that, though”

 

“The Argonauts” Matthew chewed his lip “They are the best, right?”

 

“Yes, Cullip was one of them before…” Tarrick had no need to end that sentence. Matthew knew the hunter was still unconscious somewhere at the keep, to prevent him to kill Tarrick or hurt himself and others trying to do so. “Why are you asking?”

 

“I want to be one of them” The words left Matthew’s lips without him wanting. Damn it. Tarrick was manipulating him to get him to talk. Matthew scolded at him, and he had the nerve to smile! Damn it!

 

“Why?” Asked Tarrick receding his hold a bit.

 

Matthew didn’t want to tell him everything, mostly because he still wanted to be free, to overpower everyone in order to be free. That probably would sound like a betrayal, and he definitely didn’t want to betray Tarrick after everything that had happened. He felt so dragged to him, so allured. He didn’t want to betray Rosaline, nor Hiroto either. He liked them a lot too.

 

“They are the best” Affirmed Matthew slowly “If I become one of them then the remaining Incubi, the ones that still don’t trust me, will see that I’m serious about this. That I’m worthy of being part of this”

 

“I think Prescott commented that they were still missing a man…” Commented Tarrick “Maybe, if we get enough people to think that you should join them, they will at least consider it…”

 

Matthew grinned, uncrossing his arms.

 

“That would mean you won’t be able to put on stunts like the one you put yesterday, Master” Teased Matthew “Because I won’t be near to save your ass”

 

Tarrick raised his eyebrow and shooked his head.

 

“Aren’t you cocky?” Tarrick raised and went back to his paperwork “Maybe I’m giving you too many freedoms”

 

Matthew’s grin dropped. Did he just threaten to revoke his freedoms from him? What? But he had been in his best behaviour! He even had been kind to Tane in last night’s fight! 

 

“As long as you don’t get too full of yourself and keep respecting the rules I don’t think is a bad thing, though” Added Tarrick, probably after feeling his distress filling the room “I’m glad to see you are getting used to us. It seems that maybe we could take you to High Tower soon to meet the High King.”

 

“As long as you don’t hand me over to him” Replied Matthew flinched a little at the sudden cold gaze from Tarrick “Not that I won’t be honoured. But I like it here… I belong here… With you”

 

Tarrick stalked toward him and Matthew closed his eyes and cower a little.

 

“I won’t hand you over easily, Matthew,” Said Tarrick with a husky voice “You are _My_ vampire, _My_ Warrior” 

 

Matthew raised his head and opened his eyes, just to meet Tarrick’s purple gaze. He felt his body tremble for the intensity of that look. He reached for the Incubus, both with his hand and his weak soft hold. Tarrick smirked amused and claimed his lips in a soft kiss. 

 

“Now, can you let me work?” Asked Tarrick, moving Matthew’s lips along.

 

“Yes, Master” The words left Matthew as a soft yearning sigh, which caused Tarrick to smile. 

Tarrick caressed Matthew’s cheek and went back to work. Matthew spent the rest of the night sitting at the cot, feeling content. The perspective of joining the Argonauts was exciting, and the way Tarrick said he was his had spread a warm cosy feeling in his chest.  
  
Matthew sat there, enjoying the peace and the soft sounds that Tarrick made. Like his breath, the soft rustle of the papers, the humming of the tablet and the rhythmic heartbeat. He closed his eyes and extended his senses through the keep. There were a few new vampires being held captives. A few hunters were playing cards as they had been dismissed for the night. Some incubi were having sex. There were several patrols patrolling the state and a gargoyle had just sat above Tarrick’s window.  
  
Matthew frowned when he heard the Wardens left, and he extended his senses all the way to the academy. There were several trainees there but not the Wardens. They had left.  
  
“Master?” Matthew asked after a while “What am I supposed to do tonight?”  
  
“You have a night off” Replied Tarrick writing something down in a few papers, “I thought you may enjoy my company for a while and would like to spend the night with me”.  
  
“You mean I have all night to be with you?” Grinned Matthew without being able to contain his enthusiasm “No training, no lashing, no etiquette lessons, no dances… Just you?”

 

“Just me” Tarrick turned to look at him seeming smugly pleased by Matthew’s reaction. “And I will have all night to attend you as soon as I finish this last report”  
  
Matthew nodded “I’ll wait patiently, _master_ ” He purred and saw Tarrick’s eyes flash purple with desire. The incubus smiled and turned back to his work and Matthew closed his eyes went back to hear what was happening on the Estate.  
  
After fifteen minutes, the incubus rose from his chair and walked towards the bed. Matthew felt the bed sank a bit when Tarrick sat beside him. He opened his eyes to find Tarrick looking at him with desire, longing and something Matthew couldn’t identify.  
  
“You were extending your senses again” Tarrick affirmed, as he moved closer to the vampire did you find something on my keep worth your attention?”  
  
“Yes” Replied Matthew circling Tarrick’s neck with his arms and looking at him with half-lidded eyes “You”  
  
Tarrick smiled and pulled him into a hot kiss, his lips crashing against Matthew’s. Their tongues fighting to get control as their hands roamed down each other’s bodies. Tarrick climbed on top of Matthew’s lap and rocked against the vampire’s trapped erection.  


“Matthew” Tarrick whispered at his ear as soon as they broke the kiss. Matthew was panting and moving his hip against Tarrick’s ass. Tarrick bite Matthew’s earlobe and sighed “I want you inside”  
  
“Fuck yes” Replied Matthew sliding his hands into the incubus pants to grab a handful of his ass and massage it. “But if you want your clothes to remain intact you should take them off by yourself”  
  
Tarrick bit hard Matthew’s neck and raised his head “It would be a shame you destroy my clothes again” Conceded Tarrick standing up and started to play with the buttons of his shirt, his lewd gaze roaming Matthew as if he could see through his clothes. Matthew’s breath hitched as Tarrick began to undo the buttons of his shirt with sensual movements. 

 

Matthew undressed in a blink and sat in the corner of the bed, his legs spread and his shaft twitching as he saw how Tarrick let the silk shirt drop from his shoulders and slide down his skin. He caught it with his tail before it touched the floor and folded it neatly. Matthew smirked as Tarrick undid his slacks buttons and took them off, and released his pheromones, in a way to show the incubus how much he wanted him.

 

Tarrick smiled as he left his clothes in a chair and sunk into his knees between Matthew’s legs.

 

“My, my, you seem eager tonight, young one” commented Tarrick cunning before taking Matthew’s rod in his mouth. Matthew moaned and entwined his fingers with Tarrick’s hair as he went up and down his shaft.  

 

“I t-thought you wanted it… up your ass” panted Matthew, Tarrick slowly released his rod and looked at him. 

 

“Yes” Replied Tarrick, tracing the veins with his tongue “But I really wanted to taste you”

 

Matthew took Tarrick’s face with his hands and brought him up into a heated kiss, Tarrick responded the kiss in a possessive almost dominant way. Matthew let his hands roam down Tarrick’s body, tracing every delicious curve, every hot muscle and grabbed a handful of that mouthwatering ass.  
  
Tarrick moaned when Matthew inserted one finger and smiled.

 

“You don’t have to prepare me, you know?” He said between kisses. Matthew inserted another finger and smiled.

 

“I know… But I want to” Replied Matthew, putting Tarrick down in the bed and admiring the gorgeous incubi in front of him “I want to take my time… It’s that okay, _Master_?”  
  
Tarrick looked at him surprised and a small smile formed on his lips “I thought you were eager to take me”  
  
“I am” Replied Matthew caressing the inner part of Tarrick’s thighs and moving his fingers inside him “But not every night I have this opportunity, of having you for me alone”  
  
Tarrick sighed contently, arching his back and moaning in pleasure. Matthew left butterfly kisses down his leg, as he wrapped a hold on Tarrick to bring him more pleasure. Tarrick trembled and reached for him sending a wave of pleasure through his touch. Matthew moaned and purred as Tarrick intertwined his fingers in his hair. 

 

Matthew gazed upon Tarrick and smiled, pleased by the blushing that painted the Incubus’ face. He looked down again and darted his tongue out to lick Tarrick’s shaft from base to point. 

 

“Matthew… Please” Tarrick sighed and moaned.

 

Matthew wrapped his tongue around the tip, took it in his mouth, sucked down hard, and Tarrick trembled and clawing the sheets. Matthew smiled and gave him a kiss on the tip before taking the whole rod on his mouth and sucking hard. Tarrick arched his back and moved his hips, thrusting inside Matthew’s mouth.  
  
Matthew purred and felt how Tarrick pushed himself all the way down his throat, cumming hard into his mouth. Matthew swallowed it and Tarrick cried in pleasure, his body trembling as he rode out the orgasm.  
  
“Did you like it?” Asked Matthew licking his lips and humming contently. Tarrick raised an eyebrow and giggled.

 

“Yes, Matthew… I liked it a lot” He replied. Matthew smiled cockily and put Tarrick’s leg over his shoulder and lined himself with Tarrick’s ass.  
  
“Are you ready, _Master_?” Asked Matthew, teasing Tarrick’s hole with his cock.

 

“Are you going to keep teasing me, or are you going to make me yours?” Asked Tarrick in time moving his hip against him. Matthew snickered and entered him in a slow and hard thrust. Tarrick stirred and sighed softly, his hands clawing Matthew’s hips. Matthew took Tarrick’s hands and pushed them over his head.

 

“You look so beautiful like that” whispered Matthew, holding Tarrick’s hands firmly and smirking. “Relinquishing control to me”

 

Tarrick looked at him severely and opened his mouth to say something, Matthew took advantage of it and thrust harder than ever. Tarrick cried in pleasure, arching his back and yanking his hands in a futile attempt to free himself. 

 

Matthew smiled and started pounding him hard, sending waves of pleasure through every inch of skin that touched him until all the incubus could do was gaze upon him, moaning, panting and squirming a little, arching his back and trembling in pleasure.

 

It was so damn hot, the way Tarrick seemed to be going to pieces under his attentions, the way Tarrick seemed to be actually letting him have control of the situation, seeing him like a hot panting mess, so needy and vulnerable. So fucking hot.

 

Matthew kissed Tarrick softly and growled when he bit his lips hard and made him bleed. He sowed a bit and frowned at the incubus, and a chill run down his spine when he saw the dark gaze on the other man’s purple eyes.

 

“Matthew…” One word. He didn’t sound angry nor disappointed, but Matthew felt as if he was being scolded. One word  “Matthew”  
  
“Yes, Tarrick?” He asked, trying with the incubus name in order to get to his good side. Tarrick smiled and sighed, freeing his hands and clung from his shoulders. 

 

“That’s better…” Said Tarrick before kissing him hungrily. Matthew purred when he felt Tarrick’s hands run down his back and moaned when the blonde grabbed his ass and pushed him closer. “Give me more”

 

It was an order, one that Matthew was more than happy to oblige. He pounded harder against Tarrick, who cried in pleasure and clawed his back rocking his hips against Matthew. 

 

“Oh, yes… Matthew!”

  
“Mhm Tarrick… So hot”  
  
“More, harder”  


Matthew lost it at some point. He wasn’t thinking any more, he just felt himself and Tarrick become one with each thrust and that was just perfect. His senses assaulted by the moaning, the panting, the clap of skin against skin, the smell of sweat, the smell of his scent and Tarrick’s mixed, the tact of Tarrick’s skin, the softness of his hair the sweet of his lips, the warm of his body.

 

Matthew and Tarrick cried as they exploded in heat, trembling and riding the orgasm out with a few more thrusts. Matthew fell over Tarrick purring contently, and purred, even more, when Tarrick hugged him tightly and hold him by his side.

 

“I swear I can’t get enough of you, Matthew” whispered Tarrick, kissing the side of Matthew’s neck.

 

“I can’t get enough of you either, Tarrick” Purred Matthew, snuggling against Tarrick feeling as happy as he could feel. In fact, he could say it was the happiest he had felt in the last years. But something was missing, he didn’t know what, but he was sure something was off.

 

“You have become a beautiful and strong incubus, Matthew” Said Tarrick caressing Matthew and looking at him with something he could pinpoint but made him feel so warm and so at home. He loved when Tarrick looked at him like that. Well, he technically loved that Tarrick looked at him and, to be honest, he was starting to come to terms with his attraction to the incubus. Even if it was kind of messed up.

 

“I like this” mumbled Matthew with a soft sigh, kissing over Tarrick’s pulse, remembering the taste from the last night, so delicious.

 

“I like it too” Replied Tarrick, caressing Matthew’s back, his eyes fixated on Matthew’s face and a small smile curving his lips. 

 

“What?” Asked Matthew after a while. Tarrick shook his head and kissed his forehead.  
  
“I was just thinking…” Replied Tarrick resting his head on top of Matthew's. The hug was intimate, warm and made Matthew’s heart ache. He felt strangely sad, probably because he has been feeling distanced from Tarrick.  


“It’s everything all right, Matthew?” Tarrick kissed his jaw and looked at him. Matthew sighed.  
  
“Does this…?” Did he really want to know? “Does this mean something?... To you, I mean”  
  
“Something?” Asked Tarrick caressing Matthew’s head absentmindedly “Something like what?”  
  
Matthew wasn’t sure if he was playing with him, or if he was actually asking. He didn’t want to enter Tarrick’s mind to get those answers, not because he promised Hiroto to not to. Well, also because of that. But mostly because he didn’t want to trespass Tarrick’ privacy, even if he didn’t owe him any respect of the sort.  


“I don’t know…” Matthew sighed, exited Tarrick and turned to snuggle against the incubus without looking at him “Forget it. It was a dumb question”  
  
“Are you still falling for me?” Asked Tarrick hugging him and kissing the nape of his neck. Matthew tensed, he didn’t mean to bring the subject up, nor to Tarrick to talk about it.

 

“I’m not… I hate…” No, that wasn’t true, he didn’t hate Tarrick anymore. He found him annoying, and distant, and sometimes so unnerving stoic. But he didn’t hate him anymore. He had gotten over it, somehow. Tarrick was using a hold on him to make him speak. Should he break away and scold him or simply follow the game for a while? _‘You should pretend to be a little dumb, for your own good’_ Hiroto’s words echoed in his mind.

 

“I believe I told you one feeling does not negate the other” Said Tarrick, his hands slowly tracing Matthew’s body in a rather soft and caring way “Do you still don’t want to talk about it?”

 

“I’m not sure if I want to… Especially because you don’t seem to correspond my feelings” replied Matthew after choosing to play along for a while.

 

“I don’t hate you if that’s what you mean” Commented Tarrick playfully “So I couldn’t correspond that feeling”  
  
“I didn’t mean that” mumbled Matthew, smiling despite his best attempts to hide his amusement.

 

“I know…” Tarrick kissed Matthew’s ear and bit his lobe “I already told you what I think about you...And, of course, I think you are really delicious”

 

“It’s that so?” Matthew tried to not sound as hurt as he felt, and he also tried to ignore the appealing hold that Tarrick wrapped around him. It would be so easy to give up and play Tarrick’s game.

 

“Maybe you are confused… And you are just attracted to me sexually” Said Tarrick kissing down Matthew’s neck. There was something off on the way he said it.

 

“Why do you say it?” Matthew frowned and growled. He knew how he felt.

 

“Because you like someone else” Tarrick hid his face against Matthew’s neck.

 

“Are you talking about Hiroto?” Matthew smirked, liking the idea of Tarrick being jealous and possessive about him. It made him feel Tarrick’s. “If you are jealous of him let me tell you that we have just kissed… and once we ground against each other… Nothing else”

 

“Are you serious?” Tarrick took Matthew’s chin and made him meet his gaze. He seemed puzzled. “You haven’t had sex? Not once?”

 

“No… Not that we didn’t want to, tho” Matthew smiled cockily “But we have bad timing; something always interrupts us”  


“That’s good” Said Tarrick before kissing him fiercely. Matthew moaned as the incubus ravished his mouth. 

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to think that maybe this Matthew is going to end much broken that the other, just in a different way...
> 
> Anyway, this chapter was meant to show you how confusing and frustrating is for Matthew to interact with Tarrick, especially because the incubus can change from hot and caring to cold and distant in a sec.
> 
> I hope you like this chapter and that you are not getting bored because it seems to not be going anywhere, I swear you I have a reason to show you this~
> 
> From the Tartarus,
> 
> Mirai


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew reflects about his life and relationships, and an attack gives him more things to worry about.
> 
>  
> 
> _He wanted something to happen so badly because this was a tricky terrain to let his mind wander._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is yet another plot-relevant chapter with a lot of Matthew's problems. I have a point, I swear it, just... Give it time.
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 10

Matthew didn’t know how to feel about last night.

 

He had fucked with Tarrick until the sun knocked him down, and it had felt good until he thought about it. He wondered if Tarrick had exploited his feelings towards him, or maybe Tarrick was truly jealous about his relationship with Hiroto. Was it a relationship?

 

“Well we have a student-teacher relationship” Hiroto was sitting over the fridge in the kitchen of Matthew’s first apartment. Matthew looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

 

“Do you mind? I’m having an emotional breakdown here” Said Matthew approaching the fox “How much did you listen?”  


“Only the last part, but just because you mentioned me” Hiroto smiled and kissed the point of his nose “Why are you wondering about the nature of our relationship?”  
  
“It was something I talked with Tarrick last night” Replied Matthew caressing Hiroto’s hair and smiling at the casual outfit he was wearing —a faded and ripped black jeans, a long-sleeved striped white and red shirt with a black tee and red converse.

 

“Oh yeah… I might overhear you two talking” Commented Hiroto playing with one loose thread of his sleeve.

 

“You might?” Matthew frowned, and Hiroto winked at him.

 

“And I might have commented Prescott about you wanting to be one of us…”  
  
“Oh, about that…”

 

“Why?” Hiroto smirked, “Did you talked about something else?”  
  
“Nothing interesting, Cotton ball” Replied Matthew caressing the soft fox’s ears. They twitched at his touch and Hiroto looked at him with half-lidded, satisfied eyes.

 

“You are just making me more curious about it, Snuggly bat puppy” Hiroto leaned into the caress and Matthew chuckled at the pet name. Cheesy.

 

“It was mostly moans and panting” Matthew ogled the fox and licked his lips. He was indeed attracted by the fox —He even had been having more lewd fantasies with Hiroto than with Tarrick— but that was it… Ok, he also liked him a lot, as a person. But it was more like a bromance than any other thing. He really wanted that they could be friends… With benefits, of course, but friends nonetheless.  


“You are teasing me, puppy bat” whined Hiroto descending from the fridge and putting his arms around Matthew’s neck, his fingers playing with his hair. “And making me horny”

 

“Well, I could solve that little problem here and now, Snow Kit-fox” Answered Matthew, smiling cockily as he hugged the fox and ground against him.

 

“You better solve it, Crimson Leech” Replied Hiroto gripping Matthew’s hair and kissing him passionately.

 

Matthew hugged the white-haired and roamed his hands down the fox’s back, hugging him tightly. Hiroto moaned when Matthew clawed his ass as they ground their obviously bulging erections.

 

“Matthew” A female voice echoed in the room. 

 

“FOR THE THREE PEACHES OF IZANAGI!” cried Hiroto, visibly angry. “Those damn incubi won’t let us alone!”

 

“Peaches?” giggled Matthew, snuggling the fox “So that legend is true?”

 

“It is” Replied Hiroto pouting and hugging him tighter “It’s not fair… They always interrupt us when we are together like this…”

 

“Matthew” The voice echoed again.

 

“See?” complained Hiroto “They are very possessive about you”

 

“You have no idea” annotated Matthew, remembering the way Tarrick acted last night before kissing the forehead of the fox “I have to go, cotton blossom… I’ll see you later”

 

“See you later, sugar blood,” Said Hiroto sighing and letting Matthew go. Matthew kissed his forehead again before closing his eyes.

 

“Matthew?” A soft voice asked. Matthew opened his eyes and saw Rosaline a few inches away from him,  her hand stretched touching his cheek.

 

“Yes, Lady Rosaline?” He asked in a soft, not threatening voice, to not scare her. She jumped nonetheless but smiled.

 

“I wanted to talk to you but you seemed… Out…” Said Rosaline sitting by his side.

 

“I was meditating” Replied Matthew smiling at her “I’m starting to like it”

 

“Meditating, huh?” Rosaline eyed him and smirked, “Are you sure you are not just doing it to be on Hiroto’s good side?”

 

“Well, it’s partially Hiroto’s fault, but not for what you think,” Matthew said, intertwining his fingers with the red coils of hair that coiled down her back. She raised an eyebrow but let it go with a shrug.

 

“Whatever you say, Matthew,” Said Rosaline resting her head on Matthew’s chest “You are going to come with me tonight”

 

“Am I, milady?” Asked Matthew, tracing the patron of the lace in the back of her dress. “Shall I accompany you or shall I guard you?”

 

“You are going to be on Guard Duty” Replied Rosaline pointing at the compression suit on the chair. Matthew nodded and kissed the top of her head.

 

“Do you want to see me as I change or can I change at full speed?” asked Matthew with a flirtatious smile, rosaline bit her bottom lip and smiled.  


“As much as I want to see you undress for me, we have a tight schedule tonight so…”

 

Matthew was on his compression suit before she finished the sentence. She ogled him and nodded in approbation as he took the chest piece from the case it was stored and started putting his armour on. He liked his armour.

 

It was black with metal rivets and really light. He had big gargoyle-themed pauldrons with top sharp metal ridges, and his arms were plated. A spiked tasset covered his groin and the top of his thighs, which were covered in leather armour that went all the way into his heavy boots. A couple of leather straps crossed his chest, in order to maintain in place the pauldrons, but also made his chest look broader and gave him a dangerous and manly look.

 

He didn’t know what was the metal called, but the bracers were resistant enough to stop swords and vampire claws, so he won’t complain. Besides, he looked really hot on his armour —according to Rosaline, Hiroto and a bunch of incubi.

  
Rosaline bit her lip and roamed his body with her eyes before standing and walking towards him to help him secure the straps on their site. Her fingers lingered on his chest. “You look so delicious”   
  
“It’s a shame I’m on duty tonight” Replied Matthew with a teasing smile “Because that dress of yours is telling me to take it off you”

 

Rosaline blushed and patted his shoulder, giggling as she smoothed the curve-fitting black velvet dress with silver brocade she was wearing.

 

“Maybe another night,” Said Rosaline, hugging Matthew’s waist with one arm as they exited the room. Tarrick was walking down the hall and looked at them with a dark gaze, before averting his attention again to the hunter that was talking to him. Matthew sighed and embraced Rosaline’s shoulders, guiding her to their transport.

 

“It’s something wrong with you and Tarrick?” Asked Rosaline as they walked away from the teleportation stone and sat on the back of the SUV the Wardens had prepared for them.  
  
“He… Do you think he likes me?” Retorted Matthew looking at the woods outside the windows. Does every incubus live in an expensive house secluded by a forest?

 

“He is attracted to you” Replied Rosaline, caressing Matthew’s hand. Matthew sighed and took his hand back. He knew it wasn’t Rosaline fault, he knew he should stop thinking about what happened last night, but he can’t. Therefore, Matthew wasn’t in the mood to put up with incubi stuff. And he was really grateful that tonight he was on guard duty. He could tell that Rosaline had understood what happened because her eyes clouded with a sad and condescending gaze. Matthew hated it.

 

“Matthew,” She said, and Matthew shook his head.

 

“We have arrived, Lady Rosaline,” interrupted Matthew as the car stopped. Rosaline bit her lip and nodded.

 

“We are not done with this conversation,” She said before following him and the Wardens into the party. Matthew nodded with a faint smile and walked in. He caught Tane smug-face with the end of his eye and grimaced when he noticed that Tane had Lady Naveeda hugged by the waist. Damn it. Why couldn’t he let him alone? He saw them approaching and sped up towards his spot on the balcony. He wasn’t going to let Tane made him feel even worst, nor let him ruin his perfect behaviour record.

 

He looked around the rather small balcony on the higher floor. The balcony they used to send him was always empty.

 

Silva had sent him every time to the balcony because she didn’t ‘want to see his treacherous face’, and most of the nights it made him feel rejected, but now... Now he felt grateful for it; he needed some alone time to order his thoughts and feelings about the last weeks.

 

About Tarrick.

 

About Hiroto.

 

He knew what he felt towards the incubus —It was a strange combination of attraction, resentment, admiration, fear and love… Mostly love and sexual attraction— and he had come to terms to it with the help of meditation and the techniques that Hiroto had taught him to clean and shield his mind. And after what had happened yesterday, he had decided to push the love feeling away. This time in order to protect himself, rather than to deny it.

 

Tarrick wasn’t going to love him and that was okay. He was his General, his Master and the best shag. That was it. Nothing more.

 

Matthew nodded to himself, looking at the distance, his senses heightened to be aware of everything that happened on the surrounding grounds. He had become so efficient on it that he had plenty of room to think, but he didn’t want to. It was better to stop before he ended hurting himself even more. He had to accept it.

 

It hurt but it was the truth and he had to accept it. Even if…

 

Even if the incubus kept giving him such mixed signals…

 

Maybe it was just the way incubi were; they were always so prone to skinship, sex and cuddles. Maybe that was it, maybe Tarrick did consider him one of them and was giving him what their kind was supposed to share.

 

But… What about the longing gazes? What about the way he caressed him? The way he embraced him? He had seen Tarrick —much to his displeasure— having sex with others, and he seemed to take it as a body-need. He did enjoy it, and made his partner enjoy it —Matthew could testify— but, it still seemed like he was just feeding when he was with others… With him, Matthew, it felt different.

 

_Did it? Or it was just you being delusional?_ The voice inside his head asked. Matthew grimaced. _Maybe_ … Maybe he just wanted the incubus so much he was imagining things or maybe he was just holding on the crumbs.

 

And about Hiroto… Well… That was more complicated to define but definitely much more easy to live. He was attracted to the man, because, let’s face it, the fucking fox was so fucking sexy and was well aware of it.

 

Matthew smiled thinking of all the different outfits that the fox had showcased for him on their meetings on the dreamscape. He knew the fox did that to tempt him because he really wanted to have sex with him.

 

Matthew wasn’t sure he wanted to have sex with the kitsune anymore. Not because he wasn’t attracted to him, no. But he didn’t want to ruin what they had built together. It felt like their whole relationship was build on their sexual tension and frustration. And he wasn’t sure that once they fucked it would change the way they interact.

 

A soft sigh escaped his mouth, the cold air making little clouds out of his breath. He wanted something to happen so badly because this was a tricky terrain to let his mind wander.

 

Especially when he took on account that Hiroto had put a wall between them and they weren’t friends, not exactly. They had several intimate moments that made him feel closer to the hunter, but then… Then something reminded him that they were nothing more than Trainer and Trainee, or Hunter and Prey. It hurt. A lot.

 

A barely audible crack got his attention, he turned his head towards the sound and heightened his earing in the general direction. Twenty? No, thirty vampires. They weren’t getting closer, not anymore. But they were here.

 

He grinned.

 

A well-timed distraction.

 

“Commander Silva” He spoke over the comm “Thirty vampires are approaching by the south-west, they are five kilometres away”.

 

“Any Lords?” Matthew frowned and concentrated. Shit.

 

“Ten that I could tell…” He said, flexing his claws. He was eager to jump to battle, but he had to wait for orders.

 

“Go with Ashwood Blue to intercept them. We can’t afford to let them close to this place” Said Silva. Matthew nodded and looked around; he saw the distinctive green flash of light of hunters teleporting down the forest.

 

“Is there a reason to not evacuate the state?” Asked Matthew. He knew that several important Incubi were there and that it was a hard point to defend. Why would they stay?

 

“There is” Silva didn’t say anything else. Of course. Matthew noticed a hunter teleport besides the vamp barrier and jumped down the window, he felt the tingling when the barrier went up again behind him.

 

He reached for his sword and rushed towards the approaching vampires. Soon he got close enough to the other members of Ashwood Blue to give the signal to let them know he was going to be around.

 

Matthew frowned as he followed the cadets to the general direction where he felt the vampires. There weren’t any other teams around. He knew the vampires will notice them soon, in fact, a small group of five was coming to them.

 

“Scatter,” He said before rushing towards the vampires. If he could take them by surprise maybe the team could have a chance. He jumped and fell in the middle of the group. The vampires looked at him bewildered and attacked without hesitation.

 

Matthew parried several attacks with his sword and the bracers, slashing and clawing at the vampires, hoping this distraction would be enough for…

 

One vampire fell with his back spiked with arrows, Matthew cut his head off with his sword and attacked the next. Seven more vampires were rushing towards them and Matthew could barely tell where his teammates were. That was good, that way the vampires couldn’t find them either. He hoped they couldn’t.

 

He cut through several vampires thinking only on helping his teammates and protecting Lady Rosaline. He could see and feel the rest of the team teleporting around him, staking and taking down the vampires. It was too easy and that made him anxious.

 

“You said there were Lords with them” Said Miller via comm. Matthew frowned, he knew there were Lords with them but he didn’t feel them anymore.

 

“It’s a trap” Tarrick voice came over the comms “They have witches and are disabling the barrier we have to regroup”.

 

“Fall back, team” Miller and the others begin to teleport, Matthew turned to run towards the manor, thinking only about protecting the incubi inside, especially Rosaline.

 

“Matthew, you stay and clean the perimeter while the Argonauts arrive” Tarrick’s order came to his hears at the same time that the auras of the hidden Lords.

 

“I’ve found some of them…” He whispered into the comm “I’ll try to take them down. I’m going silent”.

 

He shut off the comm, sniffed the air and stalked towards the Lords quietly. He could feel five nearby, scattered enough to be able to take them down without alert the others. What was wrong with the vampires tonight? The seemed too eager to be killed to his liking.

 

Matthew saw the first Lord; a petite woman that could’ve twenty when turned, she seemed concentrated on something beyond Matthew’s sight. He approached slowly without making sounds, raised his sword to cut off her head and…

 

She started to sing. She didn’t know the correct pronunciation of the words, but she tried her best, and it made Matthew halt, his silver sword a few inches away from her throat.

 

“Why are you singing that song?” He asked, and the vampire trembled a little, she turned her head slowly and stopped signing.

 

“My Prince,” She said softly, her eyes completely red. Not just the irises, but the white of it too “Your Sire wanted me to send you a message.”

 

“Y-you know who he is?” Matthew’s grip on the sword tightened. Did that girl know who his sire was? Why he had abandoned him? Why did he ask her to sing to him an incubi nursery rhyme?

 

“He wanted me to tell you that you shouldn’t believe them,” She said, turning around completely. She seemed like a puppet, being clumsily moved by a kid “You are a vampire, not an incubus. They are using you to destroy our species… You are more than just a slave, more than a leashed dog…”

 

Matthew put the sword between them when she started walking toward him. The sword sizzled against her chest. He felt fear grow inside his gut as a strong deadly aura started coming from her. Her cheeks painted red when rivers of bloody tears ran down, blood pouring from her eyes and her mouth. It seemed too much for her. It was killing her.

 

“Y-you… M-must… C-come…” Her voice sounded strangled, almost raw as if her throat were being crushed. Matthew lowered the sword, clinging it at his belt and hold her by the shoulders.

 

“Release her,” He said, and his voice came shrieking and trembling. He frowned and tried again. He needed to save her “Release her!”.

 

He felt the will of the vampire little and hiding in a corner, and a strong almost unbearable aura of great power. A cruel laugh echoed in his ears, the same as the night he was turned, and the woman fell limp to the ground. Matthew saw her down the soil, in a pool of blood and threw up on a nearby bush. He felt nauseated and violated as if that presence had reached deep inside him. He shook his head and looked down the woman who raised her head looked at him.

 

“Thank you” She mouthed rather than said it and she sunk on the ground. Damn it. She ran away quickly. Matthew looked at the hour on his comms and cursed under his breath. He had wasted thirty minutes on her.

 

He pushed the recent events on the back of his mind as Hiroto taught him and ran towards the next vampire.

 

That Lord fought back and almost took off the ground. Matthew thanked for the distraction from the possessed vampire and his depressing thoughts and fought him with all his power.

 

He hated that he enjoyed so much fighting and killing, but it felt so fucking good. And killing creatures supposedly more powerful than him made him feel so energized and mighty.

 

When he ripped off the Lord’s wings a soft laugh escaped his throat. Now the bastard couldn’t take off to the sky, and he couldn’t escape from him. His sword pierced one of the blood pouches of the Lord, at the same time that his claws scratched his pauldrons and took a chunk from his cheek. Matthew roared and sliced with the sword up cutting his head in two.

 

Another Lord lunged for Matthew, just to be received by his sword and a hiss as the silver burned his arm. The Lord barely avoided being beheaded and grunted, putting some distance between himself and Matthew.

 

“Damn it… She didn’t say you were this strong” the Lord kept avoiding Matthew’s blows, which only caused him to rage and try to attack him harder.

 

“Who sent you?” growled Matthew, slashing through the Lord’s wing with his sword. Now the motherfucker couldn’t getaway.

 

“Ascelina” the Lord looked around, evading Matthew’s attacks but not attacking back. What was wrong with vampires tonight? “She asked us to find you and get you to her… She never told us you’ll kill us without a talk.”

 

“You came here to attack people that I care of” replied Matthew lowering the sword and receding his vampire side. Maybe if he showed he didn’t have any ill intent the damn Lord will approach.

 

“We… What? Don’t tell me you really care about those fucking incubi!” the Lord looked at him in utter disbelief and stood still when Matthew approached “They kill and imprison and torture our kind!”

 

“And you do the same with them” replied Matthew in the less menacing manner he could. He still remembered the pour succubus being violated, and the vampire that came back littering with scars. Both sides were disgusting. “There is no innocent nor good side in this war, you know?”

 

“Look, I just came because I owed her something, I didn’t come to discuss which side is right nor to be killed” growled the Lord. Matthew raised his eyebrow.

 

“It’s a shame,” Said Matthew, and the Lord frowned “You are not getting away.”

 

Matthew grabbed him by the neck and ripped his head off in a swift movement. He hold the head of the vampire Lord, his rictus of terror frozen in time, and smiled as it decayed. Damn it. He loved that look on terror on his victims, and he hated that he loved it so much. But it gave him some sense of power and control that he won’t have back at ho… At the keep with the Incubi.

 

Matthew dropped the decaying head to the ground and listened around. There were distant sounds of battle. Damn it. But all the Lords he sensed were near him, or dead. The thought made him smile as he sped to the next Lord, being cautious to not make any sound as he stalked the vampire.

 

Hiroto was right —as always— approaching them stealthy made the battle easier, especially when he cut off their wings before they could leap to the sky.

 

That Lord died without much of a fight, in fact, she seemed rather bored with all and that left Matthew with a bittersweet displeased feeling. By the time he finished her and the nearby Lord, he was feeling rather bored. In fact, the next three weren’t much a challenge either. He wondered why they hadn’t leapt to the sky or at least try to defend themselves.

 

“They didn’t expect that you attacked them” Ascelina’s clear voice showed him were the last Lords were. He turned to them and stared at the magnificent woman, the brood looking Lord by her side and… A fledgeling standing behind them with his face obscured by some kind of magic. He noticed the Lord turned to him and Ascelina nodding before the vampire Lord scouted the fledgeling and flew away.

 

“I suppose they missed the news that I destroyed House Moreau,” Said Matthew, sheathing his sword and walking towards Ascelina. She raised her eyebrows.

 

“You learnt how to shield your thoughts” She commented, Matthew shrugged.

 

“Not all of them, it’s just compartmentalizing” He answered as he halted a few steps from her. “Did you came to take me?”

 

“It depends” Ascelina looked at him, from foot to head and frowned “You seem to be doing really good with them lately”.

 

“I’ve found a way to learn more from them, and the price is not that high if you consider all the things I can do now,” Matthew relaxed a bit, just enough to let his superficial thoughts to be read. To be honest, he was starting to feel comfortable with the incubi, but he hadn’t forgotten his plan.

 

“That’s good” Said Ascelina, caressing his cheek as if she was considering something “I haven’t found anything yet about your Sire.”

 

“You’ve been looking around?” It surprised Matthew. He didn’t consider that someone would help him look for his Sire, not even the kind Ascelina.

 

“Aw, you think I’m kind” She smiled and when Matthew frowned she laughed. “I’m just really curious about who could leave such a strong fledgeling behind, but it’s difficult to find clues when you are such a feared person in our society.”

 

“I’m sorry,” He didn’t know why he apologized for it, it wasn’t his intention to make the search for answers even more difficult.

 

“Oh, you shouldn’t apologize, you were doing fine,” Ascelina didn’t seem to mind that he killed House Moreau, nor the Lords that came with her to find him.

 

“I wasn’t a fan of the Moreau, to be honest,” Ascelina started circling around him as if she were examining him “And I might have underestimated you a bit… Maybe I should have shown myself first…”

 

Then the memory came back to Matthew and he blocked it as fast as it came. Ascelina frowned, probably for the blurry that his mind should be for her at the very moment.

 

“The first vampire… Lord… She called me ‘Prince’, the same as Viktor at House Moreau” Matthew wasn’t sure he should trust Ascelina with that, but then again, who else was going to help him get answers about his sire?

 

“‘Prince’?” Ascelina frowned “Well that’s a really good clue, and explains…”

 

Ascelina was about to say something but her eyes locked with something behind Matthew and she closed her mouth. She looked at him and sighed softly.

 

“You should go back, your incubi pets need you,” She said without a hint of mockery “I’m not taking you tonight, our witches aren’t that powerful yet,” she tapped the collar around Matthew’s neck. The collar he almost forgot he had. “But be ready, young one, we’ll see each other again and then you’ll come with us.”

 

She leapt onto the air and left flying, and he felt blurry of emotions inside. What was Ascelina about to say? When will she come back? Why he can’t have wings? He wanted wings so he could fly too.

 

Matthew sighed and turned to go back to the manor. Fear flooded him when he saw the small figure at the other end of the clearing, teleporting down the tree they’ve been hiding. He saw the black-clothed person walk slowly towards him, daggers ready on both hands.

 

The figure halted a few meters away from him and took his hood and his mask off, white silky hair and white fluffy ears fluttered free into the night wind and made a stark contrast against the dark of the forest.

 

“Hiroto…”

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's one thing here and it's that Matthew is being tortured here as he was tortured on the original books, but here the torture is psychological and emotional rather than physical.
> 
> And the point of this chapter was to show how this apparent 'calm and cosy rutine' he is living in it's making him rethink everything he knows about himself and about others in a slow yet forced pace.
> 
> I hope you liked it, and I hope you caught all those small clues I've been seeding to this point.
> 
> With love,
> 
> From the Pit,
> 
> Mirai


	12. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew has a mild mental breakdown, receives somewhat good news and has a thoughtful talk with Rosaline.
> 
>  
> 
> _"Tonight you have proved that you deserve the chance to be considered."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked me why I insisted so much on Matthew's precarious state of mind. Well, just think about it. He has been used, abused, tortured and weaponized, and he had developed some sort of Stockholm syndrome with his captor, and he has even started to think about the place where he has beeing kept prisoner as a home.
> 
> His mind and emotional state are not in the best shape at this very moment. And... Well, he didn't have the time to reflect and introspect he had at the beginning of Sire [let's remember that in the original Series he spent almost two years learning with the vampires and on his solo mission to find his Sire]. So he has been having a hard time to process everything that has happened to him in the last months.
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 11

Hiroto approached Matthew slowly and Matthew felt his whole world crumble. The fox had heard to his conversation with Ascelina and now he knew he wanted to run away, to betray all the incubi and escape.

 

“Don’t do it,” Said Hiroto, softly “Don’t run away…Yet”

 

Matthew stopped himself. _Yet?_ Matthew felt a lump on his throat, fear growing on his gut.

 

“You… You’ve been doing so well…” Hiroto was a few meters away and had taken his daggers and put them on the floor. Matthew realized he was holding his breath. “You still have so much to learn from _them_ ”.

 

“I…” Matthew bit his lip. He was feeling conflicted by the way Hiroto looked at him, with so much longing and pleading. Why?

 

“I won’t say anything” Added Hiroto chewing his lip “But you have to promise to _try_ a bit more to be part of this”

 

“Really?” Matthew frowned. Hiroto always seemed like he would follow the rules, maybe bend them a little, but not break them completely. And he seemed to be really loyal to the incubi… Except for two or three times… The memory hit Matthew like a boulder;  _‘if I was given the chance, back then, I would have run away’_.

 

“Matthew… I’m on your side” Hiroto looked back nervously and looked at his gloved hand, he brought it to his mouth “I’ve found Matthew, all Lords seem to be cleared.”

 

“My side?” Asked Matthew, Hiroto shook his head and tapped his hand. The comm, of course, he was silent for the stealth. He turned on his comm again and hear the hunters give and receive orders on his ear.

 

“Matthew, do you copy?” Tarrick’s voice in his ear made him shiver.

 

“I copy” Replied Matthew, his eyes still on the fox in front of him.

 

“Did you take off the ten Lords?” Damn it, he told Silva how many he sensed.

 

“Eight… I took eight down… Two flew away before I could get them” Managed Matthew, waiting for Hiroto to call him out for letting Ascelina go.

 

“Good job, Matthew, come back and check on Rosaline”

 

Matthew looked at Hiroto and he nodded softly, before signalling himself and Matthew, touching his cheek and projecting his hand forward. Then he moved both his hands with one finger pointing upwards in front of him, he then extended one of his hands and made an L with the other before letting it fall. Finally, he touched his temple with his finger and made a wriggling motion as he moved away from his hand. ‘We’ll talk later on the Dreams’. Matthew nodded and draw a shaky breath. It seemed like an invitation, but it could also be a threat.

 

“Copy and out” Matthew turned and speed towards the manor. The fear boiling in his gut as he thought of everything that Hiroto could have heard and how it could affect his life.

Damn it. They will cage him again for sure. They’ll put him away on that damned zoo-thing and he won’t be able to feel the cold air of the night nor the cosiness of Tarrick’s bed again. Then… Then why was he going back? He should run away right now before they trap him again. So why was he entering the manor? Why was he looking for Rosaline when he should be absconding?

 

“Matthew! What happened?” He was standing in front of Rosaline, covered on caked blood and dirt. And Rosaline seemed so concerned. Rosaline… Anything they’ll do to him will be done to her too. They were going to punish her so much just because he was a traitorous little bitch.

 

“A small attack,” He said when he realized that the other incubi from the party were staring at him, he should make them panic, though “It’s almost over, we take care of them before they had the chance to get close”.

 

“My hero!” Rosaline beamed and hugged him despite the grime that covered him and now was tainting her dress. The incubi around them continued with their things, partying and mingling. Matthew felt envious. If that bastard hadn’t snapped his neck that night he could’ve been there, with them, as an incubus.

 

Rosaline grabbed his arm and lead him out of the ballroom —to a more private area— with a bright smile on her face. When they got to the room and she closed the door behind the smile dropped.

 

“What happened?” She asked again, concerning filling her voice. Matthew covered his face with his hands. He couldn’t dare to look at her face at that moment. Guilty filling him as he thought of how he considered running away selfishly without thinking on the repercussions on Rosaline.

 

“Are you hungry?” Rosaline put her hand on Matthew’s shoulder and he could feel the nudge of a soft calming hold. Matthew raised his look and bit his lip. He should tell her that they were on big trouble, he owed her that much. She was so kind to him, she even asked if he was hungry because his eyes were crimson red and he was so

 

“Rosaline, I…”

 

The door flung open, and a hunter entered. He seemed exhausted and was almost as misshapen as Matthew.

 

“Matthew, the High General needs you on the basement,” He said, before looking at Rosaline “Alone”.

                                     

“I thought he had to escort me home,” Said Rosaline, grabbing Matthew’s arm. “That was what Tarrick told me”.

 

“Something else happened,” Said the hunter, visibly uncomfortable with it. “I’m sorry, Lady Rosaline… But the High General said that you should go now and that Matthew was needed on the basement alone”.

 

“I thought it was a small attack” Rosaline looked at Matthew accusingly. Matthew shrugged and offered an apologetic smile.

 

“I’m supposed to avoid creating panic, my lady” mumbled Matthew. Rosaline frowned and sighed.

 

“Be careful, Matthew” She said before kissing him on the cheek and whisper “Don’t let that idiot Tarrick to ruin your good mood. You are amazing and deserve all the praises in the world”.

 

Matthew smiled and grabbed her face to give her a passionate kiss. Rosaline was truly the best. He owed to tell her.

 

“Matthew, please… I was supposed to bring you fast” grunted the hunter, and Matthew bit his lip.

 

“Go” Said Rosaline, her cheeks blushed pink because of the kiss “I’ll wait for you”.

 

Matthew nodded and followed the hunter, feeling dreadful. That was it. He was doomed. Rosaline was doomed. Damn it. Probably Hiroto and Tarrick were doomed too because of this. After all, they were in charge of him.

 

His fears were almost confirmed when he entered the basement and saw Prescott with a smug smile and Tarrick grimacing. The basement had become an impromptu command centre, with a couple of hunters dispatching orders and several monitors showing the battle. That was no small battle. And there were other states being attacked by the looks of it. Why?

 

Prescott was in full armour and was pristine as if he had never stepped on a battlefield. Well, his armour had some scratches from battle but was almost perfect. Tarrick, on the other hand, was on his military uniform. He looked perfect on it.

 

Hiroto was lurking in the shadows. He couldn’t see him, but he could smell the soft incense and cherry blossoms.

 

“There you are” Prescott looked at him. He seemed satisfied with something, and Matthew started to panic. “You seem nervous, Matthew”.

 

“He is just probably thrilled for the battle” Mumbled Hiroto from somewhere behind the monitors. “He tends to get too excited for the battles… He controls it much better now, though”.

 

Prescott nodded and started pacing around Matthew as if he was examining him. Matthew looked at Tarrick who was back to work, issuing orders to the incubi army. Was he that upset at Matthew? Maybe he felt utterly betrayed and decided to pretend he had never had any sort of familiarity with him. Damn it. It made his heart hurt like hell.

 

“Matthew?” The fox’s voice brought him back, and he noticed everyone in the room was staring at him. Even more, Hiroto was right in front of him, looking at him curiously.

 

“I’m sorry, I spaced out” He blurted. Hiroto smiled reassuringly.

 

“You are not going to be punished, Matthew” Commented Tarrick, before turning his attention to the monitors again “This time you were ordered to take off those Lords. It was your solo mission”.

 

“And your pre-entrance exam” Added Hiroto with a playful smile. Was that really the same Hiroto that seemed so broken moments ago when he discovered his conversation with Ascelina? Wait. What pre-entrance exam?

 

Prescott coughed and Hiroto teleported behind him so he could be in front of Matthew.

 

“You must know that I command the Argonauts” Started Prescott, and made a pause. Probably to make sure Matthew was listening to this time. It was good he hadn’t feed recently or his cheeks would be red from embarrassment.

 

“Yes, Imperator” Replied Matthew, trying to sound as calm and collected as possible.

 

“And you must know that thanks to Ascelina we are missing a man” Continued Prescott, this time not even bothering to wait for confirmation. “Several persons have suggested that you may be a good addition to our team”.

 

“The… The mere suggestion is an honour, Imperator” Replied Matthew bowing slightly. Tarrick raised an eyebrow and Hiroto looked at him with an indecipherable gaze.

 

“You should be honoured because we are actually considering it” Retorted Prescott apparently pleased with Matthew’s comment “Tonight you have proved that you deserve the chance to be considered. Therefore, you are going to be called, in a few days to be tested and see if you indeed are as good as they say you are”.

 

“I don’t want to brag, Imperator” He didn’t know why but he did want to brag “but I just take eight Lords with as few collateral damages as possible”.

 

“That’s why we are giving you the opportunity to try” Retorted Prescott severely “Don’t be so ahead of yourself, vampire. Commander Vikström could’ve taken twenty Lord with one attack and she won’t be bragging about it” Prescott turned as if he was bored with the conversation and walked towards the door “Besides, you lost two Lords” And he teleported away.

 

Matthew tsked and turned to see Hiroto, who closed his eyes slowly before teleporting away in a haze of white light. Matthew looked at Tarrick, who seemed too busy coordinating the defence to mind him and chewed his lip. Was he entitled to talk without being addressed?

 

He was feeling distressed. Even if Hiroto didn’t say anything about _that_ to anyone, there was still the fact that he knew. He knew he planned to betray the incubi, therefore he was planning on betraying _him_.

 

Matthew bit his lip strongly and looked down. He didn’t want to betray Hiroto, nor Rosaline… Nor Tarrick… He wanted them beside him, even if he ran away.

 

“Matthew” Matthew hissed when he heard his name, his vampire guise coming out, and Tarrick frowned. “Be more respectful, Warrior”.

 

Matthew made his vampire aspect recede and lowered his head in a submissive attitude. Tarrick approached and took his chin to make Matthew look at him. His eyes were stormy as if Tarrick was thinking about something that worried him a lot.

 

“You may go and get Lady Rosaline to safety,” Said Tarrick turning his back to Matthew: “We’ll see your punishment after that”.

 

Punishment? Matthew almost talked back. Almost.

 

“Yes, High General” He forced himself to say, bowing as they had taught him and walked towards the room where he had left Rosaline.

Rosaline had a worried expression, and her frown deepened when she saw him.

 

“Matthew…” She started, standing up and walking towards him.

 

“I’ve been ordered to escort you to safety, Lady Rosaline,” interrupted Matthew, bowing slightly. He didn’t want to ruin everything more.

 

Rosaline looked at him surprised and nodded before taking Matthew’s arm.

 

“Well… Then… Ehm Escort me, Matthew,” Said Rosaline softly. Matthew nodded and guided her to the exit.

 

“Matthew… How are you feeling?” Asked Rosaline while they walk towards the teleportation stone.

 

“I’m…”

 

“Don’t you dare to tell me you are fine, because you are not.”

 

“I’m confused… And scared…”

 

“Why?”

 

Matthew wished he could answer the question without showing that he was a traitor little bitch. He needed to think about something… Something he could talk with Rosaline and would explain his behaviour.

 

“I think…I’m… In love” The excited cry that came out of Rosaline wasn’t human —Nor incubi for what Matthew could make an account of.

 

“But that amazing!” She said excitedly as they teleported away and climb on the back of a van. “You have to tell me everything as soon as we get to my room”.

 

Matthew bit his lip. In a way, this was way worst than betray her. Now it meant to confident with her _even more_. You never learn, huh? He scolded himself and sighed.

 

On another hand, he was thankful that Rosaline was sensitive enough to keep the conversation to the ‘privacy’ of her room. She was truly amazing, thought Matthew, as he saw her smiling and tapping her fingers on her lap, eager to get to her room so she could hear ‘everything’.

 

And, as soon as they entered the room she closed the door an looked at him expectantly while he got out his armour and put some comfy clothes.

 

“So?” She asked with a smug smile “Who is the lucky person? Is it Tarrick? I can bet is Tarrick.”

 

“No” The denial left his mouth easily, maybe too easily. Had him finally accepted that maybe he and the High General won’t be?

 

“No?” Rosaline frowned “How could you say ‘no’ so nonchalantly? You drool every time you see him and you try so hard to please him!”

 

“Well… Yes, I like Tarrick” Mumbled Matthew, wishing that whoever was the hunter looking at the cameras at that moment, would be a nice shy hunter who won’t say anything about it to Tarrick. “But… It’s complicated.”

 

“Why?” Rosaline pouted “It shouldn’t be complicated. You like him, he likes you… That’s it.”

 

“ _That’s not it_ ” Replied Matthew letting himself fell on Rosaline’s bed and hiding his face on the silk-lined pillows. “Even if he truly feels the same, and no, he doesn’t… It won’t happen because I’m a fucking slave!”

 

“That’s not… You are… I thought… Hiroto told me that you were accepted” mumbled Rosaline, sitting by his side.

 

“Accepted?” Matthew peeked at Rosaline who started caressing his hair.

 

“Yes, on the Argonauts…” She answered with a careful smile “I may have suggested to the High King that you would be an amazing addition to his elite team… And to Prescott, obviously...” She stated proudly before covering her mouth “Oh, dear… I went overboard, didn’t I? I should’ve asked you first if you wanted to…”

 

“I want to,” Replied Matthew, smiling at her “Thank you, Rosaline”.

 

“But now you are going to be taken from Tarrick’s side,” Pouted Rosaline “Even if I got you to climb the social ladder now you’ll be far from the man you love!”

 

“The man I _like_ ,” Corrected Matthew, kissing Rosaline’s cheek “And it’s okay, I guess… I mean… I would love to stay here at Ashwood with Commander Silva and the Academy trainees… But… The stories that Hiroto told me about the Argonauts… I… It makes me want to be part of it, you know? Be a part of a team, not a weapon that is assigned to whichever team is nearest”.

 

“You are not a weapon” retorted Rosaline “You are a handsome warrior that just got promoted to the most popular elite team of all”.

 

“The _Imperator_ said I earned the ‘right to prove I could be part of it’” Commented Matthew and Rosaline furrowed her eyebrows.

 

“That stubborn prick” bickered Rosaline before poking Matthew’s cheek “Still! You are going to prove Prescott that you are perfect for it and you will be part of them, so, socially speaking, you will be nearer to Tarrick”.

 

“Well, I’ll have that in mind if someday he decides he likes me enough to have a relationship with me” ironized Matthew, and Rosaline glared at him “What? It’s true! He likes me but he won’t be in a relationship with me… And I’m not sure if I want to be in a relationship with him either…”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“It’s just that… Tarrick is really possessive, and… If we were to be in a relationship, and we won’t, he won’t let me near… I mean, we are close… _almost friends…_ But that’s all”

 

“Tarrick won’t mind if you have sex with other people… In fact, we were discussing that you should get a feeder…” Commented Rosaline, and Matthew looked at her scandalized. A feeder? What?

 

“What?” Matthew shook his head.

 

“You need a feeder, Matthew” Replied Rosaline as if she were talking to a little boy to eat his veggies “Tarrick and I couldn’t keep feeding you all the time… Besides, we could get you a nice one who let you cuddle”.

 

“That’s… I don’t want to fuck and stranger…” mumbled Matthew, and he could almost _hear_ his incubus side laugh. Of course, the needy little bitch would fuck anyone. Stupid horny incubus side.

 

“You would get to know them” Rosaline smiled “And you’ll choose whoever you want… And if they don’t satisfy you, you could always try another one… I’m pretty sure there are plenty of them who want a taste of you.”

 

Matthew shook his head. “You incubi are unbelievable”.

 

“You’ll get used to it, as you got used to the parties and to other things” She giggled, hugging him “Soon enough you’ll be having it being as part of your routine as the evening bottle of blood”.

 

Matthew shrugged.  Maybe she was right. “But you’ll still let me ravage you, right?”

 

“Of course, Matthew” She laughed “You know I love to have sex with you”.

 

Matthew smiled and kissed her softly, before resting his head on the soft fluffy pillows.

 

“It’s not ‘anyone’, right Matthew?” Asked Rosaline nuzzling against Matthew’s neck.

 

“I’m sure Tarrick hates that we are so close…” Commented Matthew caressing the red coils of hair “He sounded so jealous that time… But… It wasn’t on purpose, you know? It just happened.”

 

“Just happened?” Asked Rosaline, tracing Matthew’s collarbones.

 

“At first I just liked the way he treats me like a person… Then I come to like the way he flirted and reacted to my awkward flirting… And then… Then… I started to look forward to seeing him every night…”

 

“I thought you said there was a wall between you two”

 

“There is… He put it, so he won’t get attached to me… But… I don’t want to have sex with him, you know? Because I feel… I know, it’s kind of silly, but I feel that when he has sex, the only thing that made him stay around will banish because he would have his release… And…”

 

“And you truly want that your relationship means more than just a horny fox chasing some hot guy?”

 

“Yes… And I also want that all those intimate moments; the ones where we shared…That those moments would mean something… Would mean as much to him as they mean to me”

 

“And what those ‘moments’ mean to you?”

 

Matthew didn’t know how to answer that. He had been running from his feelings —mostly because of how confusing they were— for a year now, and now… Just thinking about to accept them and give them a name scared him. Probably because he knew that Hiroto knew that he was a traitorous little bitch.

 

“I don’t know,” He said closing his eyes “And now I messed it up and he probably hates me, and when Tarrick finds out he would hate me too…”

 

“How did you messed up?” Asked Rosaline, and Matthew felt the soft hold wrapping around him. He opened his eyes and looked at her pleading.

 

“Can we talk about something else?” He asked, and she kissed his temple, the hold becoming soothing.

 

“What about not talking at all?” She kissed the point of his nose and then she kissed him, her soft lips caressing his in slow motion, as she climbed on top of him to press her body against his.

 

“Yes, please” sighed Matthew when they broke the kiss so she could nibble his neck.

 

Matthew let Rosaline undress him, and sighed contently when she started worshipping his body with the mastery only a succubus could have.

 

He trembled when her light touches traced his muscles, and her soft butterfly kisses made a slow path down his torso to his hard and needy erection. He hissed in pleasure when she traced his thighs with her claws barely scratching them, and moaned when she licked his hard rod from the base to the point and then took it in her mouth.

 

He reached his hand to touch her, but the succubus tail pinned it to the bed.

 

“Let me please you, Matthew,” She said. It was more an order than a plea, but Matthew was happy to oblige, enjoying the attentions of the beautiful woman between his legs.

 

Matthew panted and sighed in pleasure, his back arching as the redhead sucked his member and roamed her hands all over his body, sending soft waves of pleasure. It wasn’t white-minding as Tarrick’s storm surge, but rather hypnotic as soft tidal waves.

 

Matthew came with a soft cry, emptying himself inside Rosaline hot mouth. And looked at her as if asking for permission. She swallowed and smiled at him, before climbing back over him.

 

“Yes, Matthew?” She asked brushing her lips against his.

 

“Can I pleasure you?” He asked clawing her round ass over her clothes. She gasped and he purred.

 

“ _Yes, please_ ” She answered mockingly. Matthew smirked and ravaged her mouth as his fingers worked her dress off.

 

**_A suivre_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the last chapter, Matthew has been forced to rethink everything he knew about himself and his relationships with others. The thing is that he hadn't had time to truly process it, nor to think how his past actions and plans could affect his 'cosy and lovely' present. He got comfortable and got used to the routine and that made him careless, he grew attached to the people around him and started to call his 'prison' a home.
> 
> The point of this chapter was to show how Matthew cares about Tarrick, Rosaline and Hiroto, and how his plans have become something between them.
> 
> I hope you liked it, and I hope you caught all those small clues I've been seeding to this point.
> 
> You are free to argue about it, tho. It was a nasty chapter [Not as nasty as others that are yet to come].
> 
> With love,
> 
> From Heather Island,
> 
> Mirai


	13. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew has a heartfelt conversation with Hiroto, and get's his test for the Argonauts.
> 
>  
> 
> _"But, then I thought about all the things I learnt on the training sessions with sugar fluff here and I said ‘why not?’.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this time is a really plot-relevant chapter, and I hope you like this as much as I liked writing it~
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 12

 

Matthew didn’t want to sleep. It meant he would have to meet with Hiroto and he definitely wanted to avoid that confrontation. On the other hand, he should try to convince the fox that it wasn’t what it looked like. Well, it did, but he had an explanation. Sort of.

 

Matthew grunted and Rosaline removed in her dreams, her soft gorgeous body pressed against him in a tight embrace. He let his hand run down her hair and purred softly, feeling content with the warmth of her body. He couldn’t let anything bad happen to her; she had become someone really close to him and he really liked her.

 

With a sigh, he closed his eyes. He needed to fix the mess, so Rosaline wouldn’t suffer for his mistakes.

 

Matthew drew a long breath and let his mind empty.

 

“You came,” Hiroto’s voice sounded anxious “I was thinking that you won’t”.

 

“We need to talk” Answered Matthew, opening his eyes slowly. They were in his room. The one in Tarrick’s keep.

 

“Yes… We do” Said Hiroto. He was wearing his hunter suit, with the red hood and the mask on, only his golden honey eyes visible. Like the night when they two met.

 

“It wasn’t what you think” Started Matthew averting looks and letting his eyes roam the room.

 

“I know you ask her to help you escape when she did. I don’t blame you” Interrupted Hiroto “And… I… I won’t blame you either if you want to escape now…”

 

Matthew bit his lip. His voice sounded broken or was just his imagination?

 

“Have you told them?” Asked Matthew his mouth dry and his voice harsh.

 

“I told you I won’t” Replied Hiroto. Hurt? He sounded hurt. “If I tell them they will execute you… Or worst.”

 

“Worst?” Asked Matthew turning to see Hiroto “What could possibly be worst than death?”

 

“They haven’t truly tortured you yet” Replied Hiroto, his eyes darkening “At times… Even I wanted it to end, forever… Even if it meant that my soul will disappear”.

 

Matthew felt a shiver run down his spine. They could torture him to that point? To the point, he will just a plea for the mercy of death? He felt his stomach revolve.

 

“Why?”Asked Matthew, Hiroto averted looks. He seemed to be asking himself the same question.

 

“I… I kind of like you” murmured Hiroto and then looked at Matthew “You are… You remind me of myself… Before _that_ … So daring, so full of… _un-live_ … So young, unafraid… So innocent and untainted….”

 

“I’m scared… Scared to death” Replied Matthew frowning “And I’m not innocent, I’ve killed hundreds of people”.

 

“You are scared, but yet you came” Retorted Hiroto “And yes, you kill… But you still respect life and marvel with the world”. Hiroto sighed “Matthew… I really don’t want you to suffer what I suffered back then…”

 

“Why are you helping me?” Asked Matthew then, biting his lip “What do you earn from all this?”

 

Hiroto looked at him and frowned, he seemed like he was going to speak, but then he covered his eyes with his hands.

 

“Shit” Hiroto sat on the bed, his face still covered “Shit… Shit, shit!”

 

Matthew approached slowly, unused to see the fox fall apart. His hand stopped a few inches away from the fox’s head.

 

“I think that my wall wasn’t as good as it was before…” mumble Hiroto before taking off his mas kand smiling at Matthew “because I came to like you a lot”.

 

“You like me?” Asked Matthew as a warm feeling spread over his chest “You like me? As in like _like_?”

 

“Yes, stupid vampire!” Hiroto grabbed a pillow and throw it to him “And erase that dumb smile from your face or I’ll mistake it for _love_ ”.

 

Matthew didn’t erase the dumb smile of his face. In fact, the smile only got wider as he sat down next to Hiroto and hugged him.

 

“I _like_ you too, a lot,” Said Matthew, nuzzling against the neck of the kitsune. Hiroto froze.

 

“You know how bad is this, right?” Asked Hiroto, slowly embracing the vampire. “They still could send me to kill you”.

 

“Then…” Matthew looked at Hiroto and gave him a bright smile, showing his fangs “Then we shall run away together. Who could stop us then?”

 

Hiroto opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it and nodded slowly.

 

“You are right…” mumbled him “if we run away together… They won’t be able to stop us… We could be free”.

 

Matthew saw something lit up in Hiroto’s eye and it made him feel glad somehow.

 

“We can run away now, if you want” offered Matthew, caressing the soft fox’s ears.

 

“No… Not yet” Replied Hiroto leaning against Matthew “First, let’s see if you could become an Argonaut.”

 

“You are going to be cheering for me?” Asked Matthew, caressing and cuddling the fox, who seemed more relaxed than ever.

 

“Of course I will” Replied Hiroto “And you better do well, I bet on you”.

 

“Well, then” Matthew laughed “I’m going to _excel_ just for you, _Commander_ ”.

 

“Don’t say it like that!” Hiroto turned to him and pouted “It turns me on and we can’t do it right now”.

 

“We can’t? Why?” Matthew let his hands wander down the fox body before clawing his ass. Hiroto moaned and grabbed Matthew’s wrists.

 

“We _can’t_ because I should be going to a mission,” Said Hiroto, visibly disappointed.

 

“We have the worst timing on the story of worst timing,” groaned Matthew, before kissing Hiroto’s cheek. “Well, then… I’ll see you later, my lovely snowflake”.

 

“See you later, my dear sugar leech”.

 

Matthew laughed at the pet name and opened his eyes, waking up from the dreamscape. He sported a silly smile.

 

Rosaline removed and hugged hin tightly and he nuzzled her before drifting into his morning sleep.

 

The bliss he felt didn’t disappear the next dusk when he woke up alone in his room. In fact, he was still rather cheerful when Silva came to his room and told him the night schedule. He was so happy that even Silva gave him a small smile.

 

“Did something good happen?” Asked Tarrick when Matthew entered the control room with an almost bouncy step.

 

“I think I’m in love, Master” He answered with a wide smile, kneeling before him and beaming. Tarrick raised an eyebrow and studied the vampire before him.

 

“Good evening, High General” Saluted a blond woman who Matthew recognized as Commander Vikström. She was wearing a blacksmithing apron as her hunter uniform. She had some kind of bazooka crossed on her back. She seemed distracted.

 

“Commander Vikström” saluted Tarrick before beckoning at Matthew “There he is”.

 

“He is good looking” commented Vikström, studying him “And he seems healthy, too. Almost ethereal.”

 

“Commander Vikström is here to take you on a mission, Matthew,” said Tarrick, as she kept looking at him examining him “You may talk to her and follow her orders, and you may rise”.

 

Matthew stood and Vikström followed him with her gaze, standing a few inches from him. She was shorter than him for a few inches.

 

“You could easily pass as an incubus,” She commented, touching his arm “If you weren’t so cold… Your eyes are true silver… I haven’t ever seen an incubus with silver eyes. Don’t you think it’s ironic?”

 

“Ironic?... Commander,” Matthew almost forgot to address her by her rank, completely taken off guard by her comments.

 

“Well, you are a vampire,” Said Vikström looking intently at his mouth “And silver burns you, yet your eyes are silver-coloured.”

 

“It is indeed ironic, now that you mention it, Commander Vikström,” Replied Matthew offering a sided-smile.

 

“You can call me Vik,” She said with a small smile before walking towards the door “I’mt taking him to a mission, High General,”

 

Tarrick nodded and went to talk to Vassu, who gave Matthew an encouraging smile. Matthew smiled back and followed Vik to the teleportation stone.

 

“So, tell me, Matthew,” Said Vik as they walk “If hypothetically I asked you to be a guinea pig, you would accept to do so?”

 

“It would depend, Commander Vik” Answered Matthew, confused by the unexpected question “If it would be too painful I would rather decline, but I could withstand some pain if it helps me become stronger and better.”

 

“I see… And you will tell me everything you feel and experience as a guinea pig?” Vik seemed pretty serious about it.

 

“I thought that the point of using a fellow warrior as a guinea pig was to get ahold of precise feedback, commander” Matthew knew his answer was problematic, but then again she was asking him —hypothetically— if he would allow her to use him as a guinea pig, so it meant she didn’t see him as a mere slave, right?

 

“I like how you think,” She said with a smile as she activated the teleport stone “You should totally be my guinea pig, or maybe my investigation partner. I don’t have one because people don’t tend to be _resilient_ , you know?”

 

“Are ya trying to get the new one on ya side?” A cowboy-dressed hunter looked at them mildly bored. Matthew smiled and bowed slightly when he recognized him as Commander Lock, from Hiroto’s memories. He looked around and saw Prescott and a big bald guy who seemed a WWA fighter —Commander Nellis, for the looks of it—, who were waiting for them. It was cold and Matthew could hear the snow falling outside.

 

They were on a sort of a shabby building with no windows, unused by the looks of it, and the only trace of Hiroto was a faint scent of cherry blossom that was wearing off. He must have been there a while ago.

 

Prescott raised and Lock and Nellis went for the door, they opened the door and exited in silence. Vik made Matthew a gesture to follow them and walked behind them. Matthew bowed slightly to Prescott before following them outside. They were on a massive field covered by what looked like a few feet of snow, and that was surrounded by trees.

 

“Where are we?” Asked Prescott, and Matthew noticed he was talking to him. Matthew frowned.

 

“I haven’t been there, Imperator” Replied him sniffing the air and looking at the cloudy sky, they were eight hours closer to dawn, more or less. “But if I should guess… I’ll say we are somewhere in Russia”.

 

“Yes,” Prescott nodded unsurprised “There’s a town five miles north of here. Keep up.”

 

And with that Prescott and the others disappeared in a flash of green light. Damn it. Matthew took off after them, taking long leaps and hopping over the snow. He knew he must look ridiculous, but it worked and that was what counted. He wished he had more training on snow terrain.

 

At some point, the building disappeared, probably because a veil that secluded its existence. Matthew frowned as he felt the vampires and started going slowly. Soon they stopped teleporting. Prescott raised his hand and the team waited in silence. Matthew felt his gut clench on excitement. There were lots of vampires in that town, in fact, there was a vampire coming. The Argonauts teleported away, but Matthew didn’t even move.

 

He wouldn’t kill the poor vamp, mostly because it would drag unwanted attention, and partially because he didn’t want to kill if it wasn’t necessary. The vampire looked like a young girl, maybe in her late teens when turned. She approached slowly, sniffing around where the hunters were hiding.

 

“Hey” Called out Matthew and she jumped. Matthew speed towards her, sporting a charming smile. She hissed, startled by the speed of Matthew “Do you speak English, lovely?”

 

“Da” She looked at him cautiously, and Matthew grinned even more. She must be confused by his relaxed posture in contrast with his heavy armour. Or maybe she was still startled by his speed.

 

“You checked out this area and found nothing” He compeled, caressing her face to nudge her emotions and made it easier to compel her. She nodded slowly, looking at the woods with glassy eyes “You may go”.

 

He followed her with her gaze as she wandered off and turned his attention back to the Argonauts. He sped to where he knew they’d be hiding and smiled when Hiroto appeared.

 

“There’s a pack of six wolf shifters guarding the outside” Hiroto glanced at Matthew as he reported, so much for a warm greeting, huh? “Inside are eleven human thralls, armed. Six more unarmed, and five vamps, with a Lord among them” Matthew quickly memorized the information; Hiroto was the best scout on the corps and his info was always reliable “There are eight patrols in the area and our intel was correct: they have a safe room.”

 

“Where’s Zakhar right now?” Prescott seemed to be planning their moves.

 

“Top floor, second room from the left of the western corner.”

 

Who was Zakhar? Matthew wondered and then Vik showed him a picture of a vampire in her cellphone. He was a plain-looking man with a thin nose and big ears. If he put on some glasses he could pass as your regular science geek.

 

“Here’s the deal,” Said Prescott and Matthew turned his attention to him, “We need to take this vampire —Zakhar— alive. But we can’t fight our way in because they’ll have him in that safe room before we could get him out.”

 

Oh, Matthew knew where this was going and he didn’t like it that much. Well, maybe just a bit.

 

“And I ain’t wantin’ to fight this whole place” Commented Lock. Nellis flexed his gauntlets.

 

“I still think we should,” He said, looking at his fists “Sounds fun”

 

Prescott rolled his eyes and looked at Matthew “Matthew since it’s a vampire owned building and you don’t need to be invited in” Damn it, he was right “You’re going to jump in, grab the vamp, then run back here with him. We’ll cover the escape.”

 

Seriously? Not even Ashwood Blue made such a _coward_ move. And they were trainees and knew their limits. Were these the same Argonauts he had seen on Hiroto’s memories? He was about to comment this when he caught a glimpse of Hiroto’s devilish smile. Was he issuing a challenge? Then bring it on.

 

“Am I taking him back to the stone, Imperator?” Asked Matthew, his voice showing a concern that no one believed “Won’t the vampires just destroy it once we’re gone?”

 

“Yes” Prescott answered came harsh, and Matthew had to control himself to not grin “But getting him is more important that one leystone in the middle of nowhere, Russia. With this many vamps around, they’ll find it out soon anyway.”

 

Matthew nodded. It was a simple mission: Enter the room, grab the wamp, run like hell. Easy enough.

 

“And Matthew” Prescott added, reaching his hand.

 

“Yes, Imperator” Matthew looked dumbfounded at the hunter’s hand. What was he expecting?

 

“Hand your weapon, you won’t be needing it” That was what Prescott said, and it made Matthew realize that something was iffy and off about all this. He didn’t want to hand over his weapon, but he wanted to make a goon impression so he handed it anyways. Prescott raised an eyebrow, probably surprised at how easily he gave it up. Stupid Imperator and his stupid rank.

 

“The building is three blocks away” Hiroto sounded serious, as always that they were on a mission and it reminded Matthew why he was there “Salmon-coloured.”

 

“Yes, Commander” Matthew answered just for the pleasure of seeing Hiroto’s eyes grew darker.

 

“Any questions?” Prescott asked.

 

Yes, a lot. Why was this guy important? Why they were using such a risky snatch and grab tactic? Outrun vampires were one of Matthew’s skills, but it was easier without armour or two feet of snow, and of course without a struggling Lord in his arms. Not to mention that maybe some of the vampires could fly so they could chase him from the sky. But he’d figure it out. He was good at figuring out things on the run.

 

“None that are relevant, Imperator”

 

“Go now”

Matthew bowed, with a sarcastic look on his face, before taking off. It was a small act of defiance and mockery, and it would probably cost him points with them, but he was feeling like it. This was the iffiest mission he had been sent off, and he had been sent off to a lot of iffy missions, mostly because hunters didn’t share the whole intel with him.

 

Matthew dodged the patrolling vampires and an armed human and slipped through a broken window into an abandoned building. He frowned a little: he couldn’t risk attacking anyone because making any sound or drawing even a drop of blood would alert every fucking vampire in the area. He relaxed and thought about his stealth training with Hiroto. That should do.

 

With great caution, Matthew exited the building and made his way to the three-story pinkish-orange building. Damn it. It was teeming with vampires and shifters and humans. Hiroto had lied to him. HIROTO HAD LIED TO HIM! That wasn’t cool. Not cool at all.

 

Several vampire fighters armed, mercenary wolves and those humans seemed as special forces. Matthew tightened his jaw and prepared himself to jump. And then he sensed it. FIVE. FUCKING. LORDS. And their auras pressed him.

 

Hiroto had lied to him. The ‘betrayal’ sunk heavily in his heart, even if it was because this fucking mission was a fucking test. He was going to make Hiroto regret it. But first, he had to solve this fucking mess.

 

And he was going to do it the incubus way.

 

Oh yes.

 

This was going to be a fucking show.

 

And Matthew began to plan an execute what he would say was his most devious and special plan to the date. And, when he finished he returned to the grove alone, walking casually as if he was just strolling around the woods. He didn’t see any hunters around and shrugged as he walked back to the stone.

 

“What are you doing?” Prescott appeared before him, frowning.

 

“I was going to wait for you by the stone, Imperator,” Matthew didn’t even look at him.

 

“Where’s Zakhar?” Prescott looked behind Matthew, annoyed.

 

“Oh, right” Matthew shrugged “ About that, Imperator. Hiroto’s information was _a little_ off.”

 

An exaggerated gasp came from the trees “ _Never_.”

 

Prescott seemed disappointed and somehow happy about it when he sighed “Alright team. We’ll come back and clean up this place tomorrow with the sun up. Let’s get this over and then send Matthew back to the _High General_.”

 

The place where the stone teleported to wasn’t that familiar to Matthew, but he was well aware of where he was. New York. Why? Then they rode an SUV and Matthew saw the most impressive tower behind the veil. It was too goddamn high and big. It had to be the High Tower, there was no mistake. Why was he taken to High tower? Will they hand him over to the High King? Had his small act cost that much? No. Please. He didn’t want to end up on a zoo.

 

Hiroto must have sensed his distress because he gave him a reassuring pat on the arm as they entered a conference room with an oval table. Prescott stood at the head of the table and motioned Matthew to sit. Hiroto sat opposite him and took off his mask. He gave him a soft smile.

 

“Hiroto, you’ll start,”

 

Hiroto stood “You all know that I’ve been training him for the past months and it shows in his ability to keep up a rapid pace even if he can’t teleport, and his ability to be stealthy even with the armour and the snow,” he said proudly and Matthew felt warm spread in his chest. “Also, his ability to compel have proven helpful for interrogation, as well as his ability to erase memories. He’s also a gargoyle commander and that could be useful if one gets frisky. He’d round out the team so it’s a yes from me.”

 

Matthew contained a purr and returned the smile the kitsune gave him.

 

“Vik,”

 

She looked her bazooka over the table pondering “I like the idea of having a vampire on the team. Hiroto has better eyesight and hearing but vamps have a better sense of smell, so long as they remember to breathe. Also, he wouldn’t mind being used to test out new toys and having a vamp that cooperates is not usual.” Matthew could tell she was pretty interested in that aspect “My only reservation is that he uses a melee weapon. It’s hard enough getting grenades in there with you and Mac. With three it’ll be rougher, but I have a few ideas on how to adjust,” Vik looked at Matthew and nodded “I’m okay with him on the team.”

 

That was good, even if most of the leverage was him being her guinea pig. Matthew wondered if it has to be absolute or if majority rules. Maybe Prescott had the final say but he just wanted to know what his teammates thought about it.

 

Prescott motioned to Nellis, who seemed annoyed “I like the guy, he seems like he can throw a punch” Wow, Matthew was touched. “But tonight, instead of trying to carry out his assignment he bitched out and returned to us,” Oh, damn. “That pisses me oof. No. I don’t want him on the team.”

 

A grumpy little bitch that ‘Mac’ guy, huh? Matthew couldn’t blame him, though. Had the sun gone down in Russia yet? It had been close to dawn there.

 

Lock stood and adjusted his belt. “I don’t trust him. He showed himself to be reckless when he took down House Moreau, not to mention how easily he ditches his teammates and even with training how easily he loses control" Now that was harsh. He hadn’t ditched any teammates lately, and he hadn’t lost control either. “I don’t like the idea of havin’ to watch a teammate over my shoulder. But I’d be willing to see him through a trial period,” Well, at least he seemed reasonable. “Give him a chance to prove me wrong. I’m abstaining until then.”

 

Prescott nodded and took a deep breath “Sorry, Matthew. I’m sure you noticed that tonight was a test to see if you’d be a good fit, but it’s an all or nothing decision on this team.”

 

“What about you, Imperator?” Matthew asked. He thought that probably Prescott had to say no. He didn’t like him a lot.

 

“You wouldn’t have gotten this far if I hadn’t approved you already,” Said Prescott, rubbing his stubble before crossing his arms. “You know… In the past few weeks, six different people have independently mentioned that you’d make a good addition”.

 

Matthew raised his eyebrows but didn’t look at Hiroto. He didn’t want to give away he had commented the fox he wanted to be an Argonaut.

 

“You wanted to be on this team and you dropped hints around, don’t you? You are as incubus as Lady Rosaline gives you credit.” Added Prescott, and Matthew smiled cockily “You have a good skill set that our team has never had before. You are trainable and can follow and order, most of the times”.

 

“Six people, Imperator?”

 

“You don’t know which six people came to me?”

 

“No, Imperator” Matthew knew that Rosaline, Hiroto and Tarrick were aware of his wish to join, but the other three… “But I have heard a lot of incubi saying that it would be lovely to have me and Commander Hiroto in the same team”.

 

Prescott motioned to Hiroto “Our fox likes the idea of having another nonhuman. The High General wants to use you on more important battles and pointed out that we could watch over you better if you were on my team. Headmaster Cullip mentioned it once. Lady Rosaline talked non stop about it. Lord Vassu and Commander Silva commented something too”.

 

Cullip? Vassu? Silva? That was really surprising. Not that unexpected, though. Matthew smiled when he noticed the hunter teleporting in.

 

“Sir, you need to see this.” Matthew didn’t even saw at the monitor, but he could hear clearly the Russian news report. The sun had risen there.

 

“What did you do?” Asked Prescott, looking at Matthew who smiled cockily.

 

“Imperator,” A female voice said anything before Matthew said anything. “This is Commander Reshetilov, I serve Lady Eesla.”

 

“Go ahead, Commander” Prescott narrowed hi eyes, without taking his gaze from Matthew.

 

“Something really… uh, strange is happening.” Said Commander Reshetilov “Two werewolves just showed up here carrying a bag. It has a vampire in it and they’re insisting that they deliver it to you and only you.”

 

“One moment, Commander” Prescott muted his comm and raised an eyebrow.

 

“You are right” Said Matthew to Nellis, who kept looking at the footage and to Matthew “It’d be really fucking shitty if I didn’t carry out the mission,” Matthew’s grin grow wider “And I thought that there was a time I would have rushed in and tried to take down the Lords by myself… But, then I thought about all the things I learnt on the training sessions with sugar fluff here and I said ‘why not?’.”

 

Hiroto burst to laugh.

 

“None of the wolves had on contacts to prevent me from compelling them, so I compelled a pair to bag Zakhar and the rest to blow a nearby munition depot as soon as the sun rose.” added Matthew and pouted “I thought about the humans, but they were thralls so it was too risky.”

 

“Commander Reshetilov,” Said Prescott as soon as he turned his comm back on “The wolves are under a compulsion right now.” Prescott looked at Hiroto severely, who was trying his best to stop laughing. “Take them into custody and cage the vampire; I’ll be there tomorrow to claim them. Once you have secure them let dispatch know and we’ll release the compulsion.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“I change to a yes,” Nellis was grinning, obviously enjoying watch the small town burn down.

 

Prescott looked at Matthew as he flicked off the screen “You’ll have a trial period.”

 

“I wouldn’t expect less,” Replied Matthew intertwining his fingers “After all, it’s an all or nothing and Commander Lock asked for a trial period.”

 

“Oh, he learns fast” Mocked Lock, Matthew looked at him and shrugged a little.

 

“There are a few things you need to understand, though,” Said Prescott “You aren’t a hunter, nor part of the corps… You’re still a slave.”

 

“For now,” Added Hiroto, and he and Prescott had a silent gaze argument that Hiroto seemed to win.

 

“For now,” Conceded Prescott, “So you better behave, or we’ll have to punish you… That being said; Welcome to your trial time at the Argonauts.”

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so Matthew and Hiroto are finally friends(?) and Matthew has been 'Accepted' into the Argonauts, what means he has a little more status... Sort of...
> 
> Now, from here it goes up for a while before the big fall...
> 
> I hope you'll like it~
> 
> From Camp Half-blood,
> 
> Mirai.


	14. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew has a special moment with Tarrick and get's to know California.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _“Oh we can try that,” Said Sarah excited, “I could review the recipes and try to whip up some blood-based food for you, honey.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a couple of days late for this one, and I can't assure you if it was worth the wait or not. This was a specially complicated chapter to write, because of what it implies for Matthew. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 13

 

Matthew looked around his room and then at his small bag, there was only the compression suit, a few elegant garments, his armour, a couple of books about mythical creatures and a few vamp-themed cufflinks that Rosaline had gifted him on the past parties. His few possessions reunited on a bag that looked way too small against the velvety sheets of the bed. Matthew sensed him before he opened the door, but he stayed put until he felt the strong arms around his body.

 

“I thought you’ll be bouncing off the walls from the excitation” Said Tarrick to his ear, waking his body with a few touches. Matthew didn’t resist, but he knew he should.

 

“I’m going to miss this…” Answered Matthew, leaning his body against the incubus and turning his head to look at him. “I didn’t know that they’ll send me away to train with each of them for at least a week.”

 

“You weren’t going to be here forever, Matthew,” Said Tarrick, and Matthew could almost swear that he sounded disappointed. As if Tarrick was the one who wished that he would stay here forever. He truly didn’t want to go. He had come to terms to his life there and he still loved the incubus, even if his heart called another name sometimes.

 

“I know,” Matthew sighed “But still… I want to spend more time with you, _Master_.”

 

Matthew purred the last word, delivering it with a husky voice and hungry red eyes, with the hope that maybe Tarrick would react to it. And… _Yes_. Matthew moaned softly when he felt Tarrick’s erection grind against the crack of his ass.

 

“I would _love_ to have you _here_ more,” whispered Tarrick on Matthew’s ear, and Matthew couldn’t tell if he was talking about the keep or about their current position. Matthew didn’t get the chance to ask, though, because Tarrick slid his tail in his pants and started pumping his rod as it produced lubricant. Matthew panted as Tarrick worked his member with expertise. Fuck yes.

 

“I’m going to miss this,” added Tarrick, sliding down Matthew’s pants and clawing his ass. Matthew hissed and gasped as he felt the steel of the incubus against his hole, promising that the penetration would be soon.

 

“Please, _Master_ ,” Matthew wasn’t sure what he was asking Tarrick for, but he knew one thing. He didn’t want to be separated from the incubus. Maybe he didn’t think his plan through.

 

Tarrick entered Matthew, his erection oozing with lubricant in order to make easier the penetration. Matthew sank his claws on one of his bed —Former bed— post’s and closed his eyes. Tarrick’s cock was so big, and made him feel so full, so… _Complete_.

 

Matthew cried in pleasure as Tarrick plunged against him, his claws running down Matthew’s body and leaving bloody groves on their passing. Tarrick’s mouth sucking, nibbling and biting Matthew’s neck as if he wanted to mark him. What a shame. He truly wanted that the incubus could leave a hickey of two, but they weren’t going to stay more than a few minutes. Fucking vampire side with his fucking fast recovery ability.

 

Matthew closed his eyes and gave himself up to the pleasure of being fucked by Tarrick, and that’s when he realized how the blonde was taking his time and was enjoying it as if they won’t see each other anymore.

 

Fear, rejection and pain curled in Matthew’s stomach. Or maybe higher, since Tarrick was pushing up his organs with every thrust.

 

Tarrick slowed down and took Matthew’s face to make him look at him.

 

“What?” Asked Tarrick, and Matthew knew he was talking about his tense body and his claws that were almost destroying the bedposts.

 

“It’s…” Matthew didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to sound needy, nor confess his love. He had been pushing that was way back as he could, so it won’t affect him nor others. But… Tarrick’s worried gaze, his warm embrace and the soft soothing hold he was trying to use…

 

“I’m going to miss you a lot, Master” He managed, nuzzling against the incubus’ hand. “I’d rather stay with you.”

 

“Do you?” Tarrick moved against him slowly “Or will you just miss the sex?”

 

“You…” Matthew purred, feeling a soft wave of pleasure that started from every point their bodies touched. “I’ll miss you, Tarrick.”

 

Tarrick eyes twitched a bit, and he smirked before kissing Matthew’s back softly.

 

“I don’t want to let you go, Matthew,” whispered Tarrick, hugging him strongly as he picked up the pace. And there, in Tarrick’s arms, being embraced and ravaged by him, Matthew felt at home.

 

And after cum three times under the expert touch and steamy sex of the incubus, he was starting to regret his decision and plan.

 

Especially since Tarrick was being so lovely.

 

They were cuddling on his —soon to be former— bed and Tarrick has spent the last ten minutes caressing and kissing each inch of his skin that he could reach. It gave Matthew hope —That maybe the incubus like him or even could fell in love with him— and he was starting to hate that hope.

 

“Matthew…” Whispered Tarrick after a while, kissing his neck above the collar.

 

Matthew tended to forget about the collar nowadays; the people around him didn’t treat him as a slave anymore, and the incubi at the parties were too busy trying to fuck him —or being fucked by him— to say anything about the collar.

 

But there were times like this, or like when Hiroto looked at him with dark sad eyes, that he remembered the collar and what it implied. He may not be treated as a slave anymore, but he still was a prisoner and they could lock him away again if he didn’t please them.

 

And the man who put that collar around his neck was the one who was now worshipping his body.

 

“Yes, Master?” Said Matthew after he realized that Tarrick was waiting for an answer. Tarrick’s eyes darkened at the last word.

 

“You were happy the other day,” said Tarrick, resting his head beside Matthew’s, looking at him with a calculating gaze.

 

“Yes?” It didn’t sound like a question, but somehow Matthew felt as if he had to answer it.

 

“You said you ‘thought you were in love’,” added Tarrick. Oh, that day. It had passed five or seven days since that. He wasn’t sure because he spent some time knocked out healing.

 

Matthew awaited, a small sliver of fear growing inside him. He wasn’t allowed to fell in love?

 

“You… Were you talking about me?” The question sounded silly as soon as it left Tarrick’s lips as if it was said by some silly teenager that had been courted for a while and just realized it. Tarrick must have noticed it because he averted looks and added: “I mean. Have you come to terms with love me?”

 

“I came to terms with it a while ago, Master,” Replied Matthew, touching Tarrick’s chest. He traced one of the scars that peppered his skin. He liked a lot when Tarrick let the glamours over him to fall. It made Matthew feel as if the incubus trust him, even if it was just a bit.

 

“So why were you that happy about being in love?” Tarrick followed his touch with his eyes.

 

“I…” Matthew didn’t want to lie, but he felt that Tarrick won’t take well that he was in love with the fox, even if he still loved him. “I… Dreamed about my love being reciprocated.”

 

It wasn’t a lie. Technically.

 

Tarrick’s gaze felt intense against his skin, and it made him shiver. Too late he realized he was trying to make him speak with a hold. Damn it. Matthew knew that the incubus had tried to wrap a hold around him when the conversation started and had desisted. At first, he thought it was because Tarrick rethought nudging his emotions because he wanted to feel comfortable. But now.

 

“You… How long have you been able to ignore my holds?” Tarrick sounded almost betrayed and it clicked a memory on the back of Matthew’s head. He had been ordered to report every new ability he earned.

 

“A few months.” Matthew knew he was not being ordered or influenced to say the truth, but he felt it was just fair.

 

“You were supposed to report every time you got a new ability,” He was disappointed and somehow —Matthew could swear he could feel it— heartbroken. Tarrick broke the embrace and it sunk Matthew’s heart. He saw the incubus sat beside him and he felt the distance between them grow.

 

“I got scared, Master,” Said Matthew panicking, “You… They knock me up every time I do something I’m not supposed to be able to do, and I know very little about what I am so I don’t know what I’m not supposed to be able to do and I didn’t want to disappoint you but I disappointed you and…”

 

Tarrick’s hand over his mouth stopped his rant. And the look he gave him —As if he were looking at a little kid who accidentally misbehaved— made his un-dead heart flutter.

 

“Shh, calm down, my Warrior,” Said Tarrick in a soothing voice, releasing Matthew’s mouth and starting to caress him. “You can ask me about it, you know? I might not be a vampire but I know a lot of things about them and I could help you.”

 

“I…” Matthew looked at Tarrick. He shouldn’t tell him, Hiroto had warned him. But… Maybe he could trust Tarrick.  “I can enter the Dreamscape as Hiroto… And I can lace a compel with a hold to make it stronger…And I learnt how to make a barrier on my mind so holds can’t reach things I don’t want them to…”

 

Tarrick opened his eyes and Matthew could see panic lit behind his irises. Shit. He shouldn’t have said it. Maybe if he was fast enough he could try to compel him to forget and…

 

“You can’t tell this to anyone,” Said Tarrick, snapping Matthew from his panic attack. “You shall try harder to play dumb and pretend you are being swayed, especially in front of Prescott, do you understand?”

 

“Yes, Master,” Matthew didn’t understand. Why Tarrick didn’t want Prescott to know about his abilities? Maybe it was because it happened with him not knowing and it would make him look bad. But no… It wasn’t just that.

 

“Matthew,” Tarrick looked at his wristwatch and then looked at him. His eyes seemed stormy as if all his thoughts were in a hurricane. “I want you to try to come back here as soon as possible.”

 

Now Matthew was completely lost. What was Tarrick thinking? Why he needed him back like that? A few hours ago he was saying goodbye as if they won’t see each other never again.

 

“Matthew,” Tarrick insisted, “Promise me you are going to try to come back here as soon as possible.”

 

“I promise.”

 

Tarrick left his room soon after he promised that. And, three days after he was at Lock’s house all the way back at California, he was still thinking about it. Well, not exactly about it, since Lock, his hunter squad and his wife were doing a great job at keeping him busy.

 

Especially asking about how it was like to be a vampire and all the things that imply. For example, this night was about how he can’t eat normal food.

 

“It must be horrible, honey,” said Sarah, Lock’s wife, as she served more stew to Lock. “I’m pretty sure you’d loved my stew.”

 

“The best stew in all the world,” Said Lock as he ate it contently. Sarah sat down in front of her plate and smiled softly at Matthew.

 

“I think that’s one of the things I miss the most” Confessed Matthew, as he looked at the paperwork on his hands. To be a vampire infested territory California had some quiet peaceful nights. “My wife used to make some delicious roasted beef, and her puré was the most marvellous thing in the world.”

 

“I’m really sorry, honey,” Sarah was a really sweet woman that had grown inside Matthew’s heart in those three days. Maybe because she was such a lovely lady that treated him —and practically every hunter— as he were part of the family. Or maybe because she was an astounding looking woman who seems to not care about her looks but knew how to use them. Especially with Lock and the others. She was almost as good at it as a succubus. And that was a lot to say since she was a normal human whose life had been extended by Lord Reval so she could have Lock under control.

 

“I’m really sure she was a lovely woman,” Said Sarah, touching Matthew’s hand in a comforting gesture.

 

“She was… She was perfect and she deserved more than…” Matthew sighed. It still hurt him to not have been there for her on her last days. Lock patted Matthew’s shoulder.

 

“It’s ok… It’s not like ya wanted to do it,” Said Lock before downing a glass of a beverage that smelled suspiciously like alcohol. ‘Don’t worry ‘bout it, kiddo,’ had said Lock when he had asked the day before.

 

“You could’ve been good friends,” Said Matthew to Sarah, “She was a violinist and was so in love with art…”

 

“I would’ve loved to hear her,” Sarah smiled. Matthew liked Sarah’s smile, mostly because she only smiled when she surely feel like smiling. It was so honest and so uplifting that Matthew found himself smiling too.

 

Most of the people here loved Sarah’s smile too. And they feared her too, but Matthew didn’t know exactly why, and when he asked she had just laughed it off.

 

“What about blood-based food?” Asked Vik, looking intensely at Matthew. She had insisted that she wanted to see closely how Matthew battled and how he adapted to the others so she could adapt her weaponry to it.

 

“I… Blood-based food?” Asked Matthew looking at her dumbfounded.

 

“Yes, you know… Like _blodplättar_ or so…” Vik crumpled the napkin where she was drawing and took another one. Around her, there were plenty of crumpled papers and napkins, much to Sarah’s disgust.

 

“What’s a ‘ _bloodpleta’_?” Asked Lock looking at her raising his eyebrow.

 

“A _blodplättar_ is a pancake made of blood, very popular back in Sweden” Replied Vik categorically “Usually the preferred blood used is pig’s blood, but technically you could use human blood.”

 

“You think I could eat it?” Asked Matthew, truly curious about it.

 

“Well, we could try…” Vik’s eyes gleamed and it sent a shiver down Matthew’s spine. “We could test what additives we can use on blood and can be digested by you.”

 

“Oh we can try that,” Said Sarah excited, “I could review the recipes and try to whip up some blood-based food for you, honey.”

 

“It’s worth a try,” He conceded, and Lock looked at him threateningly, so he added, “I would love it, Sarah.”

 

Lock nodded in approval and finished his food.

 

“Okay, ladies…” He said standing up and stretching, “I’m gonna take him for a walk… It’s patrol duty night.”

 

“Go ahead, we will be working on vamp cuisine,” answered Vik, who was writing furiously on a notebook that she produced from one of her apron’s pockets.

 

Matthew and Lock nodded and said goodbye before exiting the last’s house.

 

“Should I be worried?” Asked Matthew while they walked towards the main building. An elegant and homey looking manor with big terraces.

 

“Ya should,” nodded Lock looking at his clock and at the entrance of the manor. “That Vik is like a rattlesnake.”

 

“I’ll be careful then,” said Matthew frowning as Lock’s team teleported in front of them.

 

“Ya’re late!” Said Lock shooking his head, “We don’t have all night!”

 

The team nodded and they teleported away. Lock looked at Matthew and gave him a sided smile before teleporting away too. Matthew sighed and followed them to the nearby town. Lock and his cowboys used to move fast but stroke slow. Matthew didn’t know if it was about the aesthetics or just the drama, or maybe both.

 

Anyways, they liked to make themselves known to the vampires when they killed them, and sometimes they extended the hunt a bit too much for Matthew’s liking.

 

The way Lock walked slowly until he was on the visual range and made his crossbow made a sound when the first bolt was ready. Maybe it was indeed the Aesthetics. Not that he was better, though. He liked his Bram Stoker’s Dracula inspired room and clothes.

 

Damn it.

 

He was going to blame his incubus side. Stupid incubus side, such a horny attention whore.

 

Matthew saw the vampire fell under a rain of silver bolts and shivered. He was glad that those weren't aimed at him, and that they didn’t ‘missed’ any bolt and hit him. He could live his whole un-live without having silver bolts embedded on his body.

 

Matthew stopped in his tracks and fisted the hilt of his sword. Lock looked at him inquiring.

 

“Seventeen vamps at the west,” said Matthew. It was going to be an eventful night. Just what the doctor prescribed.

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm making up a lot of stuff about Lock and the people around him. And I hope you like it.
> 
> And... I have a small announcement.
> 
> I'm going to participate in this year's NaNoWriMo [To write a supernatural M/M romance novella] and since the university is already taking a bit too much of my time, I'm going to take a month hiatus from writing this. This means that the next chapter it's going to be published on December 1st.
> 
> I hope you don't mind. 
> 
> From Berk,
> 
> Mirai.


	15. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew is adapting to be one of the Argonauts and lets Sarah and Vik get away with their experiments.
> 
> "Matthew still felt dizzy (...) when he stepped out into the garden to breathe a little. Not that he needed to, but he liked the false sensation of freedom that it gave to him. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to thank you all for sticking with this all this time. It really meant a lot for me every time you leave kudos or comments.
> 
> Second, I took a month hiatus to write a novella, and I want to thank you for waiting. And I want to say sorry because I'm a couple of days late for this one, and I can't assure you if this chapter was worth the wait or not. I swear I have a point with all this seemingly boring chapters. 
> 
> And third, I want to apologise for the short extension of this one. I kind of feel like that week fly for Matthew and therefore I should show it somehow. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 14

 

There were several things that a vampire should never eat. Vanilla, for example.

 

Matthew cleaned his mouth and looked at the decayed blood on the bucket and shivered. Sarah was patting his back softly and Vik was scribbling.

 

“It’s okay, honey,” said Sarah apologetic before promising: “I’ll keep your food vanilla free.”

 

“Thanks, Sarah,” mumbled Matthew looking at the several blood-based dishes that were waiting for him to taste them. Was this another form of torture?

 

Vik seemed to be enjoying herself a lot, taking notes and ruling additives from the list. Sarah seemed to be trying really hard to make something Matthew could eat. And Matthew was nauseated at the best. They have spent three hours trying several dishes and their variations, and Matthew was starting to think that maybe it wasn’t a good idea after all.

 

Lock hadn’t appeared in all night; he had told Matthew that this was his night off since he had to report everything to Prescott. Matthew didn’t care that much. He sure enjoyed battling and making rounds and pretty much everything Hunters did. But he also liked to pretend he could live a casual cosy life.

 

‘Pretend’ being the keyword there.

 

“What about that one?” Asked Sarah, who seemed a little upset at her failure. Matthew didn’t like to make her upset, not even a little.

 

Matthew swallowed and waited, and when his stomach didn’t protest he tested another chew. Goddammit, it was really good. Sarah smiled triumphantly as Vik scribbled frenetically. Matthew didn’t know what was on those pancakes but they tasted really good, and they didn’t make him want to rip his stomach off — which had happened after an unfortunate accident with clover that Vik insisted to be researched further as a weapon against vampires— nor puke his insides out.

 

Sarah took a small cup and put it in front of Matthew. It looked like a red-brown pudding.

 

“Let’s see if I’m correct then,” said Sarah giving him a spoon, “I wanted to test this first, but since Vik was so invested in the blödplattar idea…”

 

Matthew took a spoonful of the pudding and smelled it. It was really sweet and mouthwatering. He tried it and moaned.

 

Gods, it was really good. It tasted so… Creamy and… Was that chocolate? He remembered the taste of the chocolate. It also reminded him to…

 

“Are you okay, dear?” Sarah looked at him worried, and Matthew knew it was because of the bloody tears that streaked his face. Matthew nodded slowly and took another spoonful of pudding.

 

“I’m okay,” he said, looking at the pudding. His mind was all the way back to one of his first dates with Alyssa, the memory of a reservation on an elegant Italian restaurant that he was barely able to pay for. It was happy although bittersweet, to think about that time, to think about Alyssa. “It just… Remind me of something.”

 

“Alyssa?” Asked Sarah with a knowing smile. “Did she cook this for you?”

 

“No, she wasn’t that fan of _delicate desserts_ ,” Matthew grinned. Alyssa was a fan of making their own birthday cakes and making jello. But that was it. “We tried it back on one of our first dates… I tried to impress her by taking her to this fancy Italian restaurant.” Matthew remembered how Alyssa had insisted on learning what the sanguinaccio dolce was made of and he remembered her trying to make it without blood because it wasn’t fair with the pigs… He remembered that she smelled like chocolate and cinnamon for months because of that.

 

Sarah smiled fondly and gave him another one. “this one has mint and this one has orange peels.”

 

Matthew nodded and kept trying the plates that Sarah put in front of him

 

Eight hours and several buckets of vomit later, Sarah and Vik had a shortlist of food that he could actually eat and some spices that could be used against vampires as torture elements.

 

Matthew still felt dizzy for the blood apple pie when he stepped out into the garden to breathe a little. Not that he needed to, but he liked the false sensation of freedom that it gave to him.

 

He wasn’t allowed to go further than that unless he was with Lock or on Lock’s orders. Besides the keep was surrounded —as most of the incubi’s households— by a vamp trap.

 

Matthew noted the soft incense and cherry scent and smiled.

 

“Did you miss me, sugar fluff?” Asked Matthew and he grinned when, with a soft white flash, Hiroto appeared before him.

 

“Yes, I miss you, honey bat,” Hiroto smiled at him and reached for his hand. Matthew chuckled. Since they had confessed their feelings, the white-haired man had been even more keen to skinship than before, even though they hadn’t met —nor in the real world nor in the Dreamscape— often lately.

 

“I guess you aren’t there to see me, are you?” Matthew took the fox’s hand and intertwined his fingers with his. He was warm. He always was warm and was warmer than a regular human.

 

“I wish I was,” Hiroto shrugged as they walked towards the keep, “I’m here to talk to Lord Reval on behalf of Lord Koki.”

 

“What a shame,” pouted Matthew, “tonight is my free night.”

 

“Gaah,” Hiroto whined, “Don’t tell me that… Why do we have such bad timing?”

 

“I don’t know, cute kit,” Matthew sighed. Hiroto pouted and his ears lowered. Matthew loved to see how the fox’s ears moved according to his feelings. He wondered how would the tails look and move.

 

“Hey, lovebirds,” called Lock with a mocking smirk, “I thought yah were with Vik testin’ som’ stuff, Matthew”

 

“We already finished that, and Vik gave me permission to walk around a little.” Replied Matthew with a little shrug.

 

“So yah went to find yar lover so yah’ll have fun with him?” Lock teased. Hiroto sighed.

 

“I wish!” whined the fox, “I’m here because Lord Koki has a really important message to rely on Lord Reval and he said ‘Since you are a messenger you are the perfect one to carry this message’, can you believe it?”

 

“He still uses yah to send messages?” Lock chuckled, “Can’t he use the comms or dispatch?”

 

“Lord Koki thinks that some messages are way too sensitive to be sent by such an ‘impersonal’ method of communication,” replied Hiroto with a soft sigh, “How has the big guy been behaving correctly?”

 

“He’s been a nice addition to the team,” Lock patted Matthew’s shoulder, “He’s been busier earnin’ everyone ‘round here, tho. Sarah and Lord Reval love ‘im.”

 

“He is that charming,” Hiroto winked as he elbowed Matthew. “Are you glad that we accepted him on the Argonauts?”

 

“He’s still on trial period,” replied Lock before winking, “but he seems like a fine teammate.”

 

Hiroto looked at Matthew with a tint of pride that made the vampire smile conceited. Damn it. The fox was making his ego even bigger…

 

That wasn’t a bad thing, though. Since Tarrick, Silva and several others had been trying to make him feel small. It was a nice contrast.

 

“Well, gotta go, sugar blood,” said Hiroto when they got to the elevator that went up to Lord Reval’s floor. “I’m looking forward to our training.”

 

“Take care, cotton kit,” smiled Matthew waving at the Japanese man, “I’m eager to get another training with you.”

 

“Yah two are way too cheesy,” commented Lock shooking his head and smirking.

 

“We are having a contest,” grinned Matthew shrugging a little, “to see who can embarrass the other more.”

 

Lock burst to laugh an shook his head, “Seems like Hiroto finally got a playmate then, huh?”

 

“And Vik got a willing guinea pig,” offered Matthew and laughed when Lock shivered.

 

“That crazy woman is up to no good with ya, pal.” Said Lock serious, “be careful.”

 

“I’ll be, Commander,” nodded Matthew and Lock tilted his hat just a little.

 

“So, since you are not gettin’ laid with foxy… Wanna go to another trainin’ drill?”

 

“That sounds fantastic.”

 

By the end of the week, Matthew was starting to regret having said that he was a quick learner. Maybe they would have assigned him more than a week with every member of the Argonauts if he had properly played dumb. But Lock had issued his report and said that Matthew had adapted rather quickly to his rhythm and was quick to understand and to memorise the tactics and formations that they used.

 

Matthew could note that Lock was satisfied with being the first one on the list since he was the one who asked for a trial period. He also noted that when Prescott asked who wanted to go next Hiroto didn’t say anything.

 

Hiroto had told him that they had to be careful about their feelings, and all their flirting and orbiting around the other were okay as long as they believed that it was just a game. It hurt Matthew, but he understood. They had to play it long in order to become strong enough to ran away with as few risks as possible.

 

Mac was the one that raised his hand —his silver gauntleted hand— and asked to be the next one. His eyes glinting in a way that made Matthew shiver. Vik on her side asked to be allowed to follow the training every now and then to get more information.

 

Prescott seemed pleased by the apparently good reception that their new member had. Matthew had started to take a liking on the man; he was strong, decided and seemed to care a lot about his teammates.

 

He got to like Lock too, and after that week's training with him, he was sure that the Aesthetics were an important part of being a hunter.

 

“Ya should’ practice more yar entrance, pal,” said Lock when he got to Matthew’s room to pick him up and take him to Queen Cathail’s household. “Queen Cathail is a fan of dramatic entrances.”

 

“Then I hope I had learnt enough from your dramatic entrances,” Matthew shove his backpack on his shoulder and followed the cowboy.

 

“Ya better had,” smirked Lock, “I don’t want ya embarrassin’ me in front of Nellis.”

 

“I won’t ever,” Matthew pretended to be offended as they walked towards Lord Reval’s reception room. It should be the more pretentious room of the whole household —at least as far as Matthew had seen— and of course, it was heavily decorated with huge warrior incubi statues that went from being in full plate armour to be barely dressed.

 

The walls were lined with heavy tapestries that depicted various battles against the vampires, each one of them won by the Incubi. Against the farther wall, there was a huge throne presiding an ornamented wooden table that had a detailed map of the territory. Lord Reval was sitting there, with a wine bottle in one hand and looking at the map with furrowed eyebrows.

 

Aesthetics.

 

“Lord Reval,” saluted Lock with a soft gesture with his hat, “Matthew is here to say goodbye before leavin’.”

 

“Ah, yes. Your new comrade,” Lord Reval raised his eyes slowly and incorporated a little to look even more impressive on his throne. Matthew resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “I hope you had enjoyed your stance here, Matthew.”

 

“I enjoyed it thoroughly, Lord Reval,” replied Matthew bowing a little too much, “I’m looking forward to coming again another time to learn more from you and your hunters, and to bring you support to defend this territory.”

 

“I see.” Lord Reval sounded pleased with Matthew’s words, and Matthew suppressed a cocky smile. “I’ll be more than pleased to have you there training with _my_ hunters any time, Matthew, you may go now.”

 

“Thank you, Lord Reval,” Matthew smiled charming and bowed again, “I’ll be leaving then, Lord Reval.”

 

“See ya, Lord Reval,” said Lock and accompany Matthew to the front of the manor. There were Sarah with a small cooler and Nellis leaning against the side of an SUV.

 

“I’ll miss you a lot, honey,” said Sarah taking Matthew’s hands.

 

“I’ll miss you a lot too, Sarah,” replied Matthew smiling fondly to the woman, “Lock is a very lucky man to have you by his side.”

 

“Ya’re dam right.” Nodded Lock with a proud smile. Sarah laughed and pinched Matthew’s cheek.

 

“You are a flatterer,” Sarah giggled before giving him the cooler, “here, I put some food for you. I hope you come back sometime.”

 

“Of course I will,” Matthew hugged the woman and smiled despite the hit that Lock landed on the back of his head. “thank you for everything, Sarah.”

 

Sarah smiled and waved as Lock grab Matthew by one of the chains of the collar and yanked him away from his wife. Nellis chuckled and took the vampire by the collar as if he was a cat.

 

“I’ll take him now, see you too later,” said Nellis ushering Matthew on the back of the SUV. “And don’t whip Lock too much Sarah.”

 

Matthew didn’t hear what Sarah answered because the SUV was warded. Boomer. He waited patiently that Mac climbed on the van so they could go. He knew that the nearest teleportation stone was a couple of miles away, and was secluded by a human town consisting mostly of hunters and trainees. He was surprised though because the SUV was empty. It was the first time he was going to be transported without a cortege.

 

 

**_A Suivre_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~
> 
> I hope you understand how much all that has been happening mean to Matthew because it will be very important in chapters to come.
> 
> And I also hope you know that I know [And Matthew knows] that Hiroto is a sly fox, and that he [At least here at my story] has been waiting for an opportunity to get away from all this. This is going to be important to.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading~


	16. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew trains with Mac and his hunters and gets an unexpected —but appreciated— visit.
> 
>  
> 
> "Write how he felt? Who will read the journal? Can he truly write down what was on his mind?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of the year and it excites me seeing how much this little project of mine has grown~
> 
> Again, thank you all for sticking with me~
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 15

 

“You look like an idiot,” Mac's voice brought Matthew back to reality. The painful and cruel reality. Matthew felt his bones snap together as his wounds start to mend, and raised a little his head to look at the hunter.

 

“Thanks, I’m trying my best,” he replied as soon as his throat had healed. He was upside down, with his back torn and his legs bent in all the wrong angles. His head hung helplessly the same as his right arm. He could feel the concrete chunks of the wall embedded on his back. It hurt like hell.

 

“I thought you were good.” Nellis was obviously trying to provoke him, and dammit he was doing it. Matthew wanted to rip his head off and cut him into small pieces and burn him so no one will ever find any of him. But no. He had to control himself. Besides, the Hunter never let him get close enough to rip his fucking head off. Damn it.

 

This whole thing was to see how much he could handle and —despise Nellis’ mockery— he was doing pretty good. Nine hours fighting without delivering any lethal blows to any of the hunters, killing every vampire they put on the arena as soon as possible, and surviving Nellis attacks.

 

He was failing at the last one, though.

 

“Maybe the little fag went soft on you to get laid?” Nellis delivered another blow that he barely parried, and he winced. Matthew wasn’t used to the way Nellis mocked homosexuality, and he was still surprised that —in such a let’s-fuck-everyone kind of society— he said that kind of things.

 

Matthew didn’t know if he hit his head too hard, but he detected a hint of jealousy on Nellis’ voice. Could it be that he was jealous of his relationship with Hiroto?

 

“He was harsh,” Matthew ducked and tackled Nellis. Close combat was their speciality and it was obvious that the hunter had centuries of experience. It only made Matthew feel even more competitive. “And he never hesitated.”

 

Matthew jumped over Nellis’ head and made a run for a vampire he had spotted on the back of the arena.

 

“Don’t turn your back on the enemy,” growled Mac, chasing him. Matthew took the poor vampire and throw him at Nellis in hopes that it would slow him a bit. No, not a chance.   
  
Matthew cursed under his breath and looked up to the grandstand where Queen Cathail stared at him. She looked regal and beautiful and made Matthew shiver. It was said that she was one of the most powerful incubi around, even as a social. Matthew didn’t doubt it. He could feel the reach of his holds all the way down the arena.

 

She was supporting her hunters from her throne, and Matthew could tell how well it worked. Matthew was truly impressed and scared too. If she was able to do such a thing, who knew how much power the High King could harness.

 

Matthew barely avoided another blow and hit him square on the chest. The hit would have killed another human or left a vampire broken on the floor. Commander Nellis barely gave a couple of steps back. How much strength should he use to knock Nellis without truly hurting him?

 

“I’ve seen enough,” Queen Cathail’s words stopped Nellis fist at few inches from his face. Matthew swallowed hard. “He could stay, Commander, show him the quarters.”

 

Nellis bowed and grab Matthew from the arm as soon as he was done bowing to the queen.

 

“It seems you managed to impress my queen, leech,” commented Nellis as he walked towards the bleachers. Matthew followed him and mumbled a thank you when he passed him a gallon of blood.

 

“She usually doesn’t let the newbies onto the quarters until they fought a couple of battles with our teams.” Nellis started changing and a bunch of hunters entered to clean themselves up and change their clothes. Nellis greeted them with a smile and congratulated them for their performance.

 

It was obvious that they respected and cared a lot about Nellis, the same way the hunters and trainees from Ashwood cared about Cullip and Silva. And It was obvious Mac was the caring but strict type of commander.

 

“Nine hours and a half, huh?” commented one of the hunters sitting by Matthew. Matthew could recall him, he was one of the first he encountered, it took him several tries to knock him down. “You have the new record, Newby,”

 

“I’m Matthew…” Replied the vampire, and the hunters laughed, “Which was the past record?”

 

“I’m Tony,” the hunter shook his hand and pointed a young-looking girl with blue streaks on her hair “Sherryl there had it. Seven hours, forty-five minutes.”

 

“So you make this a lot?” asked Matthew waving at the girl, the girl smirked. She almost staked him five times on the arena.

 

“Every time we got a new batch,” Tony laughed and Matthew nodded. “The ones that put the newbies through more pain got a free night.”

 

“Sounds like fun,” Commented Matthew, finishing his blood. He looked at Nellis who was talking to the nurses that were checking on the knocked out hunters.

 

“You are quite fast and precise, Matthew,” Commented Tony gesturing at the knocked hunters. Half of the hunters on the bleachers.

 

“Thanks, I’ve been training,” Matthew smirked, Tony patted his shoulder. And gestured at Nellis.

 

“What did you do to Commander Mac?” Asked Tony in a whisper, “I never saw him so focused on beating the shit out of someone.”

 

That sounded about right. It was hard to imagine any human —hunter or not— who were capable of surviving Nellis’s attacks, especially if they were newbies.

 

“I think he is jealous,” replied Matthew softly. He knew that hunters loved gossiping almost as much as incubi and if he wanted to confirm his suspects about Mac’s feelings.

 

“No way!” Tony looked around and leaned towards Matthew. “You are Commander Hiroto’s favourite?”

 

Bingo.

 

“Does Sugarfluff call me his favourite?” Matthew pretended to be surprised and suppressed a laugh when Tony gaped.

 

“Oh… I see why Mac hates you,” Tony sighed and looked at him as if he had a target on his head. Matthew noticed how Tony inched further from him and bit back a laugh.

 

“So Mac likes Cottonkit?” Matthew pressed the matter a bit, Tony looked around and shrugged.

 

“Mac is very competitive and was very proud of being the only hunter alive that Commander ‘I’m-not-amused-by-you-humans’ Hiroto talked highly.”

 

“So it wasn’t like Mac has a crush on him?”

 

“Mac is completely hetero as far as I know.”

 

“I was completely hetero until…” Matthew gestured around and Tony nodded in understanding.

 

“Well, that are incubi for you.” Tony looked at Nellis as he stood up and gestured Matthew to follow him. Matthew stood and followed him out of the bleachers. “Over there are the quarters. I’m guessing you’ll have room 405… It’s the only one empty and I’m sure they won’t let you share one.”

 

“405, huh? That should be…” Matthew sniffed the air and a small smile curved his lips.

 

“It’s something the matter?” Tony frowned as they climbed the stairs to the four-story of the building.

 

“I just smelled a friend of mine,” Matthew smile grew as he saw Vassu leaning against room 405 door. He was on casual clothes and that made Matthew lick his lips; he looked amazing with those tight jeans and black jersey. Matthew laughed when he noticed the jersey’s big white letters: ‘No need of a stake to impale you’.

 

“Vassu, what a _pleasure_ to see you,” Commented Matthew, Vassu looked at him and smiled.

 

“Hello, little vamp,” Vassu greeted and waved at the hunter, “you seem to be getting along easily with the hunters… I told them to not to worry.”

 

“You were right,” Matthew grinned when the incubus unlocked the door and gestured him to enter. He waved at Tony and followed the warrior inside his room. “I’m more social than what they gave me credit.”

 

“More smooth than what Rosaline thinks, too,” Vassu closed the door behind them and looked around, with a small smirk. “She had people decorating your room here too, I see…”

 

“So she knew I was going to pass the ‘entrance exam’, huh?” Matthew sat on his red silk sheets and looked at the incubus with hunger painted on his gaze.

 

“She has been talking about how amazing you are to anyone who would listen to her, and given her status that’s pretty much every incubus on the world,” Vassu smirked and sat by Matthew’s side.

 

“So, did they sent you here to check on me?” Matthew put his hand on Vassu’s lap and caressed his thigh. Vassu put his hand above Matthew’s and sighed.

 

“They… We are worried about you.” Vassu took Matthew’s hand and started caressing it softly.

 

“About me?” Matthew didn’t understand. He had been being good lately.

 

“Imperator Prescott and High General Tarrick have been looking at the reports about your behaviour from the past few months.” Vassu kissed Matthew’s hand and looked concerned at him, “and Imperator didn’t like what he saw there.”

 

“I’ve been in good behaviour, I’ve been following the rules.” Matthew felt a surge of panic and Vassu sighed.

 

“That’s the point…” Vassu caressed Matthew’s cheek, “you are too afraid of us to trust us, and that’s bad for team building. That’s what Prescott said.”

 

Matthew looked at him dumbfounded. Prescott said what?

 

“They sent me to see how you are doing since you seem more comfortable with me than with them,” Vassu cupped Matthew’s cheek and looked deep into his eyes, “and I’m starting to wonder if you really like this whole ‘warrior’ thing or you just keep this going because is the only way out of the cell that you see.”

 

Matthew felt his heart stung. That last phrase landed way closer to home base that he would like to.

 

“Isn’t it?” Matthew left out a soft sigh and grimaced. “If I’m not of use in this war they won’t let me out… I’m a ‘slave’, after all.”

 

“That’s…” Vassu chewed his lip and looked around before gazing upon Matthew again. “Rosaline has been asking around, and she’s been making a bit too much noise about it.”

 

“About my well-being?”

 

“About how to get you to climb on the social ladder…”

 

That sounded like Rosaline. And was definitely something that a lot of incubi won’t like.

 

“She… Prescott told her that if you prove you can be a fully-functional member of the society and a really good warrior he would consider to help your case.” Vassu looked almost apologetic as if he would prefer to be there on his behalf not on some sort of investigation/checking duty.

 

“If you say that to me, then it won’t mean anything, because I will do it to get on Prescott’s good side,” replied Matthew, Vassu smirked.

 

“You are a smart guy…” Vassu kissed Matthew’s hand again, “no, I’m here because you are already on Prescott’s good side.”

 

“I am?”

 

“Not only his, though… You’ve _bitten_ your way into our hearts, Matthew,” Vassu inched closer to him, “and I’m not saying this just because of _that_ time.”

 

Matthew smiled when he remembered the time when the incubus fucked him —made love to him would be more accurate, but that could imply that Vassu loved him and that was not the case— after their last training session. He truly liked it and he would be more than happy to reenact it.

 

“Matthew… I want you to be honest to me,” Vassu’s breath tickled Matthew’s lips, gaze against gaze, few inches apart.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Does it makes you happy?” Vassu asked softly, “Fighting for us, partying with us… Being part of us, incubi?”

 

“Yes…” Matthew wasn’t lying. He actually enjoyed the parties and the fights, even if he was just a weapon or a trophy. He enjoyed it so much he often forgot about his collar and his position.

 

“Because it’s okay if you don’t want to stay… I mean, you may prefer to go back to your life before encountering Tarrick and that would be fine.”

 

He didn’t. His vampiric life before Tarrick had been dull and lonely. I had been full of senseless killing, fear, guilt and questions. But he caught the idea. Now that he knew his powers, he could feed without killing and he had a lot of self-control, maybe a simple vampiric life away from the incubi could be possible.

 

Into his mind popped up Tarrick —the High General that would order to kill him because of the war—, Rosaline —who probably would feel rejected, heartbroken and betrayed if he went fully vampire—, Silva —who would probably never forgive him—, Hiroto, and many more of the friends he had been acquired on the past year.

 

But his plan was to escape —with Hiroto preferably— from the incubi and start a new somewhere else.

 

But if they free him, and let him stick around… Maybe he and Hiroto could live peacefully around incubi, without being used by them.

 

“I… I want to be free,” said Matthew softly after a few minutes, “Free to come and go, free to fight for you, and party with you and fuck with you, at _my_ will.”

 

Vassu smiled and kissed him softly.

 

“I knew you’ll say that,” he said happily and stood, “I’m sorry I can’t stick around longer, but I promise I’ll come back again to hang around soon.”

 

“You won’t stay for even a few minutes?” Asked Matthew hugging him from the back, his hands sliding into the jersey to touch the hard abs of the warrior.

 

“I would love too, Matthew,” Vassu looked at him and bit his lip, “but then no one would be able to separate us and I have things to do at another place.”

 

“What a shame, I was hoping for a reprise,” pouted Matthew letting go of the incubus. Vassu turned and kissed him softly.

 

“Maybe another day,” He winked and gave Matthew a black composition book, “I’m giving you homework. I want you to write how you feel each day; make it a journal, make a year in pixels, whatever you want. But do it…”

 

“A year in pixels?” Matthew took the composition book and frowned, “How I feel? Like… ‘Today I feel sad because Vassu didn’t pound me against the wall’?”

 

Vassu laughed and nodded. “That, exactly. I’ll compensate you for that sad day.”

 

“I hope you do,” Matthew watched the warrior go and sit by the desk. Write how he felt? Who will read the journal? Can he truly write down what was on his mind?

 

He opened the notebook and leaned his head when he saw a small envelope with his name on it. He extracted a small letter with beautiful calligraphy and earthy smell that made his undead heart skip a beat. It read as follows:

 

_Matthew,_

_I hope you are getting used to the tactics and fighting styles of the Argonauts. Lady Rosaline really misses having you partying with her, but we have convinced her that at this moment is more important that you get closer to your new teammates._

_I’m quite sure you are having fun with them, though, since you love learning new things about our society._

_I’m sure Lord Vassu already told you our concerns and already fill you on the task ahead. Nonetheless, I want to assure you that this is just so we could track better your emotional and personal development. This will be read by me, Imperator Prescott and Dr Spencer, our best psychologist, so we can be sure you are in the best shape you can._

_Take care, have fun, learn a lot._

_Sincerely, High General Tarrick._

 

Matthew sighed.

He didn’t know why he hoped that Tarrick would be less… formal on a letter to him. It was obvious that this was an official thing, but still. It pained Matthew to know that the incubus was indeed attracted to him, but didn’t love him in the same way. He had thought that maybe if he had stayed longer with Tarrick, he could have made the incubus fall in love with him. Madly. But that wasn’t the case.

Matthew sighed again and took a pen. He should write something since it seemed so important.

He didn’t know which day —night?— it was, so he just wrote ‘Night 1’ and went on writing how challenging and funny had been his ‘entrance exam’ to Queen Cathail’s hunter squad quarters. He also made sure to write down that he was sad from Vassu’s rejection and wanted him to pound his ass hard. Just for the laughs.

 

Maybe it would help him get Tarrick even a bit jealous.

 

He put the letter on one of his Japanese folk tales and went to sleep. Something told him that tomorrow night was going to be even more hellish than this one.

 

He wasn’t wrong. Damn it.

 

Matthew was feeling tired already and there have been just two hours of ‘intense training’. He had been woken and took to the arena where all the hunters were doing a series of training courses, all looking used to it.

 

Matthew was assigned a specially long and challenging one that he had to complete 100 times in less than 2 minutes. And he failed the first for a whole minute and the next 10 for a few seconds.

 

His course included puzzles and a labyrinth that changed each time he sorted them —to keep him on edge he supposed— and was a kilometre long. He had to use blood energy to keep his reflexes sharp so he won’t get hurt —as he ran between foxglove-coated moving swords—, he also had to power up his speed so he would complete the course in the time limit, and he hadn’t eaten yet.

 

He was grateful he had four pouches and a soavik, and that he had been training on the use the energy stored there efficiently by Silva and Hiroto. But after a while, he was starting to get distracted by the heartbeats of the hunters training around.

 

Maybe if he hadn’t gotten hurt on the first laps, he hadn’t wasted so much blood on healing, so he wouldn’t be that hungry right now.

 

He was sloppy.

 

“Okay, lads!” Nellis’ voice made Matthew stop before starting his 112th lap, “It’s enough, time for breakfast!”

 

The hunters cheered and drop their weapons on the rackets before starting to walk towards a set of double doors that Matthew supposed lead to the dining room. Tony had walked towards Nellis and told him something.

 

“Hey, leech!” Called Mac moving towards Matthew with an amusing grin growing on his lips. “Did you finish the laps that Tony told you to?”

 

“Yes, sir,” promptly replied Matthew, earning a few chuckles from some of the hunters. “I did 111 because I failed the first eleven so I repeated them.”

 

“Failed?” Mac raised his eyebrow and looked at Tony who seemed to be enjoying the whole conversation. Matthew frowned.

 

“Yes, sir. I took an extra minute on the first and a few extra seconds on the following ten.” Matthew wasn’t sure why but a lot of hunters had stopped on their tracks and looked at them. Mac cocked his head so Matthew added, “I was told to finish each lap in two minutes flat, sir.”

 

“Two minutes!?” Asked Mac with his eyes big in surprise. Tony burst to laugh along with other hunters and even Sherryl snickered. Mac shook his head. “You overstepped, Tony.”

 

“I? It’s my fault that he believed it?” Asked the hunter before cackling when Matthew turned at him and shoot him daggers from the eyes. “He is haha a very haha very obedient soldier.”

 

Mac grinned as the hunters around laughed. The only one that wasn’t laughing was Sherryl, who gave Matthew a condescending look. Matthew knew that if he had enough blood he would have turn red.

 

“Enough, kids,” said Nellis patting Matthew’s shoulder, “ Matthew just show us that he is a really good soldier and that he is truly obedient, so he will be free from this evening training drill. The rest of you will have to do in twice,” loud groans echoed among the hunters, “and Tony, you won’t do the training drill.”

 

“I won’t?” Tony suddenly got pale.

 

“No, you are going to make 100 laps around the course that Matthew did,” Mac still grinned, and Matthew wanted to grin too. “Because, if the newby could, why one of the elite couldn’t?”

 

“But he is a vampire!” Tony argued, “and we always mess with the newbies! It’s tradition!”

 

“He is also an Argonaut,” retorted Mac and the entire room went silent, all of them looking at Matthew in utter disbelief. “In trial-period. But an Argonaut if he accomplishes it.”

 

The hunters looked at Matthew with certain apprehension and then back at Tony. Tony frowned and pouted.

 

“Well, Tony,” commented Sherryl after a while, “It seems like your ‘vamp lap’ it’s a regular training drill for the Argonauts. So you should try it.”

 

The hunters burst to laugh again, and this time Mac laughed too. Matthew smirked and looked at his nails.

 

“What do you mean? That’s even easier than Lord Vassu’s training sessions, or Commander Hiroto’s challenges…” Commented Matthew, hoping that none of them had noticed how tired he felt, “I mean, after yesterday I thought this was just warm-ups.”

 

“A sassy little bitch, huh?” Mac looked at Matthew and he smiled cockily.

 

“I thought Sugarfluff and Lock had already warned you, _Mac_ ,” commented Matthew. Mac wrinkled his nose.

 

“The faggot and the whipped? Those are too weak,” Mac growled before walking towards the double doors. “Come, Leech, you have to clean yourself to be presentable on the table of Queen Cathail.”

 

 

Matthew nodded and followed Nellis to the bleachers. The hunter gave Matthew the key to a locker and told him to be ready on less than ten minutes. The rest of the corps entered and looked at Tony with reproach.

 

“I didn’t think you were going to do it, you know?” Commented Tony getting to his locker. Matthew didn’t have to look around a lot, there was a locker with several bat decals on it.

 

“I usually got assignments like that,” replied Matthew looking his locker and opening it. The change of clothes were black slacks and a blood-red shirt. Seriously?

 

“I’ll make them get rid of those,” added Tony pointing at the decals on the locker door.

 

“No, it’s okay…” Matthew smiled as he changed. He noticed that everyone wear semi-formal attire. “Do we always have breakfast with the Queen?”

 

“No, sometimes we have lunch or dinner with her,” answered Tony rolling up his sleeves. “Queen Cathail likes to share one food with her hunters, and she arranges rotations so each one of us could partake on the parties she holds.”

 

 “She sounds really caring,” Matthew followed them through the double gates. Behind them a lavishly decorated hall with long tables filled with a sumptuous meal. Preceding the table an ornamented throne in which Queen Cathail sat with her hands folded on her lap.

 

On her right was Nellis and a couple empty seats followed by the hunters who already had arrived, on her left was an empty chair, a beautiful black haired incubus that was about to eat Matthew with his eyes, followed by a black-haired succubus that was trying to do the same, several humans in revealing clothing and several other incubi. All of them were blissfully chatting and —excepting the black-haired pair— no one noticed Matthew.

 

Matthew followed Tony to the empty chairs by the bald hunter’s side, mostly because there was no other empty seat on the table. And then he noted the small card that read “Matthew” in the plate in front of one. So he had a reservation near the Queen? Nice.

 

“You took my spot,” mumbled Tony frowning when they got closer enough for him to read the tag. “Of course, you are an Argonaut…”

 

“That spot is for the Argonauts?”

 

“Yes, but while they are not there is mine…”

 

Matthew remained standing besides Mac who wrinkled his nose and kept talking to the Queen Cathail.

 

“The preparations for the party are about to be complete, my Queen,” continued Mac with a confident smile, “we just have to make a few last-minute arrangements to the hunter’s rotation so Matthew could be included and it’ll be done.”

 

“I took that you accepted him as a warrior, then?” Queen Cathail then looked at Matthew who bowed and sat when she gestured him to do so. “He is as gentlemanly as Lady Rosaline says.”

 

“He’s been well trained,” replied Nellis nodding in approval, “Lady Rosaline and High General Tarrick had made a good work with him.”

 

“I heard he broke little Sherryl’s record,” the table went quiet and all the looks turned to Matthew.

 

From a side-door, Sherryl came in. She was wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks that were obviously fitted to her lean body. Her hair fell loose on her back in a long curtain of black and blue.

 

“He did, my queen,” said Sherryl sitting by the side of the queen. The table resumed their conversations after a look from her.

 

Matthew wondered what made Sherryl so important to be sitting by the queen’s side. Wait. Matthew looked at the incubi by her side, the two of them smiling as he saw them. They looked like…

 

“Sherryl is my actual consort and the mother of Damian and Elise,” Queen Cathail said with a small smile, “She is my second better warrior, after Commander Nellis, of course”.

 

“She was quite challenging yesterday, your highness,” replied Matthew frowning as he thought of how old the incubi twins —maybe they just liked to look the same, though— were and how old Sherryl could be then.  
  
“Of course she was,” Queen Cathail looked at her proudly and raised her hands. “We shall then have breakfast, my brave warriors, my sweet offspring, my delicious feeders, my loyal subjects.”

 

“All hail, Queen Cathail!” said Sherryl and Nellis at once and the rest of the table replied. Matthew did too, and then a couple of humans came and left a gallon of blood in front of him. He thanked them and looked at the Queen, everyone seemed to be waiting for something to start so he will too.

 

“In this house, the guest eats the first bite, leech,” whispered Nellis at his ear, Matthew nodded and took off the lid from the bottle.

 

“To your health, your highness,” he said before taking a sip. The Queen raised a goblet of wine and drank, as well as the rest of the table and they started eating.

 

“Smooth bastard,” mumbled Nellis under his breath and Matthew just smiled cockily as he downed the blood as demure as he could.

 

Then the Queen and Sherryl got Mac into a conversation about further preparations for a party, while Tony was too busy telling other hunters and several feeders how he had tricked him into making 100 laps on the ‘torture tour’. Several incubi were talking about how hot he looked on casual attire and how much they wanted to fuck him.   
  
Matthew rolled his eyes and finished his blood trying to ignore his empty soavik that was being stirred by all the pheromones the incubi were sending his way.

 

“Should we call you feeder, Matthew?” asked Sherryl after a while, looking at her children who looked at Matthew as if saying ‘I could feed him’.

 

“I don’t have a feeder, ma’am,” replied Matthew with a small smile. The truth was that he hadn’t taken a feeder yet because he was used to feeding on Tarrick, Rosaline and the occasional incubus on a party. That and that he still felt that feeders were something he didn’t want to think about.

 

“That should be fixed soon,” commented Queen Cathail before looking at him, “in the meantime, you can go to the town with Nellis to get you acquittanced to the town and to feed you.” Queen Cathail then looked at Damien and Elise, “and of course you are forbidden from bedding my kids.”  
  
“I won’t ever think about it,” the quick answer from Matthew earned some laughs from the hunters and some whines from the twins.

 

“The Queen thinks you are a bad influence,” said Nellis, a few hours after as they stroll through the city.

 

“What?” Matthew frowned as his eyes caught a cute brunette boy that was entering a club.

 

“The reason why she doesn’t want you near her children,” answered Mac as he followed Matthew to the club. He wrinkled his nose. “Those two are the younger ones, and the only ones alive… Her last daughter died because she had a crush on a vampire.”

 

Matthew nodded and sighed. He was aware that most incubi and hunters had lost someone to or because of the vampires. But still, he wanted to stop the war; he loved fighting —and killing— but it made him felt guilty.  
  
“Look, I don’t want to see you being a faggot, Leech,” said Mac as soon as he realized who they were following. “so I’ll propose you a deal: I’ll give you an hour. You may stay there on the club feeding of partying or whatever you like. In the meantime, I’m gonna be at the seedy club down the street.”

 

“That sounds like a good deal…But, does it means that you trust me?” Matthew smirked, Mac raised his eyebrow.

 

“I wouldn’t have let you get closer to the Queen or Hiroto if I didn’t,” the hunter replied before disappearing in a green shimmer. Matthew couldn’t let got the fact that the hunter had mentioned Hiroto.

 

_**A suivre...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have this Idea that Mac has a crush on Hiroto and I just needed to put that here, haha~
> 
> And Prescott obviously cares about his teammates and of course, he wants Matthew to be psychologically tested. 
> 
> Not saying that I like Prescott, tho. He just keeps telling me that he was just obeying orders and that he would have taken care of Matthew if he had been had the opportunity.
> 
> I hope you like this chapter, and thank you so much for reading.
> 
> If you want to talk directly to me I'm @Mirai_H_Sama on twitter ;)
> 
> From beyond the mirror,
> 
> Mirai~


	17. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew confirms something and has an appointment.
> 
>  
> 
> “What can I say? I have a soft spot for Howl’s drama,” Matthew lowered the book to stick his tongue out to the incubus, who had sat on the bed and growled. “You’ll look nice dressed as Howl, haven’t you think about it? For Halloween.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry about the wait, but I really needed this chapter to come out right because it marks a special point on Matthew's growth.
> 
> Thank you so much for being with me this long and following my crazy story.
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 16

 

Matthew spent a couple of days trying his best to keep up with Nellis’ hunters' regimen while he tried to inquire about Mac and Hiroto’s relationship. Not that he was the jealous type, but he was really intrigued by the way Mac reacted to Hiroto.

 

“You really should give up on that, Matthew,” commented Sherryl and Matthew shushed her. They were outside Mac’s preferred shady club and were waiting for the best moment to enter.

 

“Shall I remind you that I’m the mate of the Queen?” Sherryl spat as she walked to the door. Matthew followed her and frowned.

 

“I’m sorry, Sherryl… It’s just that I’m curious,” Matthew mumbled as they entered. It smelled awful to drugs, alcohol, and grime. “How he can come to this place?”

 

“He says he likes his women dirty,” Sherryl wrinkled her nose. It seemed even she smelled it.

 

“That’s disgusting and denigrating,” Matthew made a gaged noise as heard a couple of women being hurt upstairs.

 

“He is potentially disgusting,” replied Sherryl shrugging before patting Matthew’s shoulder. “If you are not going to feed here then let’s get to another place… I’m getting bored of this.”

 

Matthew grunted. “This is serious, Sherryl,” he knew it was sort of a tantrum, but he was dying to know what did the man felt for the fox.

 

“No, is jealousy,” Sherryl stated and sighed, “Won’t it be easier to ask him directly?”

 

“Sure,” ironized Matthew, “I’ll just go to him and tell him ‘Hey Mac, do you…?”  
  
“Do I _what_?” Matthew jumped when he heard Mac’s voice behind his back. Damn it. The hunter was really good at hiding from Matthew’s senses and that put him on his nerves.

 

“Nothing… Nothing…” Matthew promptly replied and Mac raised his eyebrow. “ I was wondering why do you like such a…. thing…”

 

“Yeah, right.” The older man looked at the vampire with a rather tired expression, “You know, you’ve been acting weird around me… Even for a vampire. Are you that scared of me?”

 

“He is jealous of the amount of interest Commander Hiroto has in you, sir.” Sherryl intervened and patted Matthew’s back, “You’re welcome,” she said before leaving. Matthew grunted a soft ‘traitor’ that he knew the woman heard.

 

“That _fag_?” Mac grimaced overreacting, “He better stay away from me. Ugh.”

 

“You totally have a crush on him,” commented Matthew, earning a glare and a fist on the face that never came to be, because a white flash startled both of them.

 

“There you are!” Hiroto growled, visibly angry, “I’ve been looking for you for two hours now. Would it kill you to have your com on?”

 

Matthew was about to answer when Mac made a dismissive gesture with the hand he was planning to pound against Matthew’s face.  
  
“It’s my free night!” Nellis made a gesture to the stair that went up to the rooms, “I was about to find a girl to spent it.”

 

“Well, free night canceled.” Hiroto didn’t even try to tease nor make a comment about it, and the other two men realized it was a serious visit. “We’ve been summoned.”

 

“We as in?” Nellis promptly flicked on his com and frowned. Matthew could overhear the chaos.

 

“We as in you, Lock and me.” Hiroto grimaced, “We are requested on High Tower by midnight along with the High General. Prescott sent me to look for you.”

 

“Prescott came?” Nellis raised his eyebrows and frowned. Matthew flickered on his com and heard a request for himself. Nothing about those two. “Is there a problem?”

 

“We are not sure,” Hiroto looked at Matthew and looked back at Nellis. “But we three should head to the state like now.”

 

“What is all that havoc about, Commander Hiroto?” Asked Matthew as they pilled on a van at the doors of the club —probably called by the fox. Hiroto frowned and shook his head.

 

“They’ve been changing channels over an over throughout the night, no one says what’s going on nor why so much panic among the corps.” Hiroto seemed visibly frustrated with that. “I just know that every time someone finds out what’s going they go silent.”

 

“Ultraviolet seal?” Nellis looked outside the window with an expression that Matthew could only read as worry. It was really disturbing seeing the man worried.

 

“It seems like… No vamps attacks, tho, so I don’t have any clue of what could have happened.” Hiroto sighed, “Lord Koki sent me out to find out what was the problem with our corps, and I was tracking it all the way here when I was intercepted by Prescott.”

 

Matthew frowned. He had learnt about the different types of seals on the corps, but his manual went up to Violet, nothing else. It sounded serious, though. He tuned off the discussion between the two hunters and tried to expand his senses. There was nothing out of ordinary around, the hunters patrolling kept doing their thing, not a vamp in kilometres. Still, he felt some kind of apprehension, foreboding of something bad.

 

They arrived at the state and Matthew made his way to the control centre. He wasn’t fazed by the harsh look Prescott gave him, he was fazed though by his order of secluding himself on an assigned room.

 

“Why?” Matthew argued when a hunter was appointed to put up the wards as soon as he was inside the room.

 

“You shall not question my orders, vampire,” growled Prescott menacing. Matthew balled his fists and felt his claws puncture the palm of his hands. Really? Fucking really?

 

He thought about hitting Prescott or demanding an explanation, but he caught Tony’s slight head movement and bit his cheek to avoid a colourful reply. He turned on his heels and stormed out the control centre with the hunter barely keeping with him.   
  
“That bastard! Locking me away!” He grunted as he yanked the door open and throw it with a little too much strength, and started pacing around without even looking at the room —he knew it was one of the guest rooms and he had already memorized the layout of all of them. He was choleric. “Who does he think he is?”

 

“The leader of the Hunter Corps?”

 

“Does that gives him right to lock me down?”

 

“If he thinks that’s the best you should accept it.”

 

“There is no way this could be the best. What if the vampires attack? I’ll be stuck here without being able to help!”

 

“If there were an attack, they’ll send a hunter to lift the wards.”

 

“It would make us lose valuable time! Besides! Why is there so much havoc? What’s going on?”

 

“It’s nothing you should worry about.”

 

“I totally worry about it; what is so serious it has an ultraviolet seal? I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS A FUCKING ULTRAVIOLET SEAL!!”

 

“Ah, there I was thinking that maybe you finally gave up on cursing.”

 

Matthew halted, his back to the interior of the room and drew a small breath. Night and earth.

 

“Tarrick?” He asked softly before turning and sawing the incubus sat on the bed with a tablet and a couple of towers of papers around him. It seemed as if he had been there all night. Damnit. He wanted to kick his own ass for not realizing the incubus was there, nor noticing he was —and not his ridiculously annoying inner voice— in fact, the one who had answered his rant.

 

“You seem surprised,” commented Tarrick, patting the bed by his side. Matthew sat there and looked at the papers the incubus was working on; reports.

 

“I thought they were isolating me again…” Matthew confessed as he lay by Tarrick’s side.

 

“Did you did something wrong?” Tarrick gave him a sided smile, as he hugged him with his free arm.

 

“No… Well, maybe I was inquiring a little too much on Mac, but that was it,” Matthew pouted, snuggling against the blonde.

 

“Inquiring on Mac? Didn’t know you were on that type,” Tarrick commented and Matthew wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.

 

“No, thanks.” Matthew shivered and stopped his mind before an unfortunate image formed. “I just thought that all the whole ‘fag’ thing with Hiroto is…”

 

“Oh, you noticed?” Matthew frowned at Tarrick who shrugged and commented, “there is a bet going about when Nellis will accept he has a crush on Hiroto.”

 

“I knew it,” Matthew laughed cosying himself against the incubus.

 

“Were you trying to make him admit it?” Tarrick smirked and Matthew huffed.

 

“Not admit it per se… Maybe…” Matthew sighed and looked up at the incubus. “Are you going to tell me what is this whole Ultraviolet Seal?”

 

“It’s top secret.”

 

“Fine, don’t tell me.”

 

“No, really, ‘Ultraviolet’ means ‘Top Secret’, Matthew.”

 

“And what? Will you kill me if I figure out what’s going on?”

 

“I won’t… After all, I’m not aware of it either.”

 

“What?”

 

Matthew looked at Tarrick who shrugged and gestured vaguely at the room.

 

“I’m on the same boat as you, so to speak,” Tarrick’s face was stoic as if he didn’t care about it. Matthew didn’t buy it.

 

“How is it that the High Lord General has no idea of what’s going on?” Tarrick tsked and a hard thump made Matthew moan softly. “That’s not fair, you know?”

 

“You are being a nuisance,” replied Tarrick with his attention back on his paperwork. Matthew huffed.

 

“You are just mad because you are on the same boat as me,” mumbled the vampire earning another thump. “Stop it!”   
  


Tarrick gave him a stare that pretty much meant ‘Stop being a nuisance’ and made the vampire huff before climbing down the bed.

 

“Damn it,” Matthew felt the soft pain of his soavik at the third ‘thump’. He was supposed to go hunting with Sherryl as his babysitter. He had been so busy trying to get more information on Mac’s crush that he didn’t feed. Now the cramps were getting to him, instilled by Tarrick.

 

“You are throwing pheromones,” commented Tarrick, his eyes glowing purple. Matthew wrinkled his nose and felt his eyes burn red at the scent of the incubus pheromones.

 

“I’m hungry,” replied Matthew, taking several books from the shelves and sitting on a couch. He adjusted his jeans and opened the book without looking at the incubus.

 

“Why don’t you come and feed?” Tarrick’s voice was alluring, and Matthew almost closed the book and compelled, but no. He wasn’t going to cede, not this time. If the incubus really wanted him he could very well come and suck his dick.

 

“I’m busy,” he replied, a soft smile curving his lips as he read ‘In which Sophie talks to hats’; a warm memory of himself reading those very words to Lily came to him.

 

“Reading children’s books?” Now Tarrick’s ego sounded hurt. Nice.

 

“What can I say? I have a soft spot for Howl’s drama,” Matthew lowered the book to stick his tongue out to the incubus, who had sat on the bed and growled. “You’ll look nice dressed as Howl, haven’t you think about it? For Halloween.”

 

“I won’t disgrace myself, nor Samhain with such a thing,” Tarrick huffed, and Matthew passed the pages until he found an illustration of the wizard, more specifically, the scene when he threw a tantrum.

 

“Really? I think he looks pretty much like you.” Commented Matthew. Tarrick took the book of his hand angry.

 

“I do not throw tantrums.” The incubus stated categorically, his eyes flashing purple and anger.

 

“Then what are you doing right now?” Matthew asked with a knowing grin, as he opened the next book to ‘ignore’ the incubus.

 

“You are infuriating.” The incubus lowered Matthew’s book to make him look at him.

 

“Me? You are the one that acts like he wants me, but pushes me away, and sometimes says I’m his Warrior and some others he categorically states that I’m just a Slave,” Matthew words seemed to hurt Tarrick, who grimaced.

 

“That’s why you didn’t write a word about me in your journal?” Matthew frowned at the question. He didn’t write about Tarrick, or at least he didn’t put his name —most of his complains were about how much he missed his former ‘home’—, but it was because he wasn’t sure who will saw it and won’t talk publicly about his feelings for the incubus. He didn’t write about Hiroto either, at least not about his feelings for the fox.   
  
“I didn't write on the journal because I haven’t seen you lately,” the reply was careful, even if he knew there were no microphones nor cameras on that particular room.

 

“You don’t think about me? I thought you’ll miss me.” Tarrick’s eyes were locked with his, and Matthew felt his undead heart flutter.

 

“I missed you, Master…” murmured Matthew, reaching Tarrick’s face, “But I tried to keep myself busy so it won’t distract me and I could make you proud.”

 

Half-truths, covered by puppy-eyes and a soft hold that was meant to show how much he wanted the older man. He wasn’t sure it worked on Tarrick now after he confessed how much he had advanced with his incubi abilities.

 

They locked gazes and Tarrick shoved ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ back on Matthew’s hands before going back to the bed. Matthew let out a soft whine but didn’t move. If the man didn’t want to feed him he won’t beg for it to happen. He may be hungry and his incubus side could be a needy bitch, but he wasn’t going to beg. Not anymore.

 

After a couple of hours, a hunter teleported on the room saying he was assigned to escort the High Lord General to the teleportation stone, and that Matthew was required on the medical wing.

 

Matthew looked at Tarrick and made a small bow before turning to go. He hoped the incubus would stop him, but it never happened. As he walked down the hallways the pain on his chest became dull, as he tried to push it to the back of his mind.

 

“You must be Matthew,” greeted a short woman as he entered. Matthew was incapable of hiding his surprise when he saw her; she was quite chubby. He had become used to hunters build bodies and succubi curvy and slim. The other girl he had seen with some extra pounds had been Portia, but even then her arms looked like they could throw a really good rib-broker punch.   
  
She looked cute, though. Her brown hair was on a messy bun, her freckles almost faded against her tan complexion, small lips on a gentle smile. Her clothes hugged her well, and her shirt had a loaf of bread with little horns and wings that read ‘Pan-demonio’. A doctor’s coat rested on a chair beside her.

 

“Nice to meet you,” said Matthew bowing a little, she offered him a hand and he shook it. She shook very energetically.

 

“I’m Dr. Brightside,” she said cheerfully as he gestured the chair in front of her desk, “I’m one of the Hunters Corps designated Psychiatrist. I specialize in Post-Trauma and Torture Rehabilitation.”

 

“I’m not sure if feeling grateful or scared that you specialize in Post-torture Rehab,” commented Matthew sitting and she laughed.

 

“Oh, dear, I personally would prefer not,” She said with a soft reassuring smile, “ but in a war like this, many of our teammates and partners get captured and tortured and they often need psychological and psychiatric treatment so they can go back to their lives.”

 

“And what if the ones that torture me were incubi?” Matthew looked around the room, memorizing the details and got slapped on the hand. It barely hurt but made Matthew look at the doctor.

 

“No warrior behaviour here, dear,” She said with a serious face, before producing Matthew’s journal from a thick file on the desk. “I will say, this situation has no precedent that I know on our records, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve our help.”

 

“Had everyone read my journal?” mumbled Matthew and she frowned, letting the journal on the table and lacing her hands in front of her.

 

“You seem angry, or at least, you are trying to force your anger down.” She said softly and sighed, “If you don’t want me to read your journal I won’t, it’s yours and you deserve your privacy.”

 

“You’ll be the first to think that,” Matthew was taken by surprise by the affirmation and it had the doctor looking intensely at him.

 

“I have an idea,” she said taking a pen and putting it over the journal before gesturing it to Matthew, “ You’ll write on your journal here, so I could safekeeping it under the confidentiality doctor-patient so no one but you will read what you write from now on. What do you think?”

 

Matthew balled his fist and looked at her. It sounded good, but then what will be the point of keeping the journal?

 

“They told me you had trust issues,” the doctor commented, “but Rosaline, who insisted on me being the one to attend you, told me that it was because we haven’t given you reasons to trust us. Is she right?”

 

Matthew bit his lip and looked around. He couldn’t help it, he wanted to see if there were any monitoring devices on the room. This time the doctor didn’t slap his hand. There weren’t cameras nor microphones.

 

“Yes…” He finally said and she beamed.

 

“She also told me that you are very curious and like to understand thoroughly what’s happening around you,” the doctor produced a file from her desk and took a letter, “She allowed me to show you the letter she sent me to ask me to help you.”

 

Matthew shook his head and took the journal.

 

“I thought the journal was only going to be read by the High General, Imperator Prescott and Dr Spencer,” he commented, the doctor nodded.

 

“I talked to Dr Spencer and he told me you seem to be in denial of some sort. The Medical Board talk about what you’ll need form what Dr Spencer thought was acceptable to share on your medical report and they decided it was best for you to talk to me first,” Dr Brightside said, taking a paper from what Matthew supposed was his file and handing it to Matthew. It was his Medical Health record and had very few things wrote in it. ‘Has a strong sense of duty’, ‘Has trust issues’, ‘Can be on denial’, ‘Can be dismissing his feelings’.

 

“However, I was handed your journal today, and, since you were told only those three persons will read your journal I felt it was better if I don’t,” she added softly, “I want yo show you you can trust me, but if you prefer we can have Dr Spencer attending you first. He is a genius and surely will be able to help you too.”

 

Matthew frowned and sighed, passing his hand through his hair. The Doctor waited patiently with a soft smile on her lips.

 

“You think I need Post-trauma treatment? Like seriously?” He asked after a while.

 

“Yes, since you have been put through a lot on the last ten years and a half,” She answered, “you were turned and abandoned, you were forced to kill by your instincts, you isolated yourself because of it, you were captured, tortured, forced to work for us.”

 

“That resumes my un-life pretty well,” joked Matthew and she smirked. “So you are going to put me on therapy and ask me how it made me feel or are you going to put me on drugs. Do drugs work on vampires?”

 

“You are a jokester, huh?” Dr Brightside commented, “I’m going to listen to you, and help you get in control with your emotions. That means to accept them and to feel them so they won’t overwhelm you.” She didn’t seem offended by the comment and wasn’t acting condescending either, “You can talk me about your day, pester about Press, talking about your latest crush, whatever you feel comfortable to share. I won’t tell them what you say, but I would tell them whenever you have a breakthrough about yourself and if I need them to help you with something, like free nights or if you prefer extra training sessions. Everyone has their own coping ways.” Matthew smirked when she said pester about Prescott so casually as if it happened very often. She winked at him and added: “I won’t put you on med unless you really need them, although I would be needing Vik’s help to made them work on you.”

 

“So I can tell you whatever I want and you will call it a night?” asked Matthew and she nodded. Matthew cocked his head and ponder. “And… Can I ask you whatever?”

 

“You are already doing it, dear,” replied she with a giggle, “You may ask whatever you want, dear.”

 

“Is your name really Brightside?”

 

The doctor smirked.

 

“No, it’s my hunter’s name. To protect my family and that…Also, I loved the Killers so..” She said before adding “You may call me however you like, tho.”

 

“Like ‘Doc’? Can I call you ‘Doc’?”

 

“Yes, or Rainbow, or Old Hag, or whatever,” She shrugged.

 

“Why they would call you Old Hag? You seem very young… And cute.”

 

“Oh, thank you~ No, they call me Old Hag because I decided they won’t be able to go back to the field. They were angry.”

 

Matthew frowned.

 

“You can do that?”

 

“Are you scared of that?”

 

Matthew wasn’t sure. What if she said he was too unstable to be sent to battle and they decide to cage him or kill him since he wasn’t useful anymore.

 

“I won’t say that you know?” She said after a while when Matthew didn’t answer. “I’m aware of your circumstances here and I won’t put you in danger, that would be against everything I stand for.”

 

“But what if I’m not stable enough to be on the battle?”

 

“Oh but you are, Matthew… I’ve read your performance records and your trainer’s reports. You are a really good warrior, very focused and you have improved greatly on controlling your instincts.” Dr. Brightside said with a reassuring smile. “You are here because we want you to be a fully-functional part of our community and, as part of our community you have the right to be taken care of, physical, mental and emotionally.”

 

Matthew looked at the woman and sighed before looking to the ceiling.

 

“I was trying to find out if Mac had a crush on Hiroto.” He commented after a while, and the doctor raised her eyebrows. “And I was so concentrated on that that I couldn’t feed… Then the whole thing about the seal happened and I was locked with Tarrick on a room and he is so infuriating.”

 

“Why do you think he is infuriating?” Asked Dr Brightside, “It’s because of the torture?”

 

“No, the torture was… I mean…” Matthew mumbled, “He acts all ‘yeah, I’m the High General, I’m so perfect. You are barely worth my time.” And then we are alone and he starts with all his ‘Oh, my warrior. Oh, I want to make you mine. Oh, Matthew, you make me so proud’. Damn it.”

 

“Does he confuse you? Like emotionally?” She looked very much interested in it and Matthew wasn’t sure if she was as gossiping as the hunters or was because she actually cared. He preferred to think it was because of the last one. “He sounds really confusing.”

 

“He is! And he is like… He was acting all hurt because I said he could dress up like Howl!” exclaimed Matthew, “Besides he is as dramatic as Howl.”

 

“Howl?”

 

“Howl as in Howl’s Moving Castle.” Explained the vampire, “anyways, he is always like ‘If you want me, you have to beg for it, Matthew’ but he wants me too and he insists on making me ask for it.”

 

“You would prefer that he would ask you for it, don’t you?”

 

“Hell yes! I’m so done with that attitude of his of taking what he wants and making me beg for what I want… I mean, it’s kinda hot when we are having sex, but…”

 

“It’s not a healthy foundation for a relationship.”

 

“No, it’s not… And I’m not sure it is a relationship, either. I mean, what if he is making all that just to assure that I would behave? I’ve heard the hunters, a lot of them think that.”

 

“And what do _you_ think?”

 

“I think if that was the case I would kill him…”

 

“For playing with you?”

 

“Yes… No… Maybe… It’s… If he doesn’t feel anything for me, he should just say it, you know? I won’t scape or anything because of that…”

 

“You won’t?”

 

“No… I will surely be sad, a bit depressed maybe. But I’m a grown man, I’ve been rejected before and I can handle it. But this push-and-pull… I can’t with this.”

 

“Have you talked to him about this?”

 

“I don’t want to…”

 

“Are you scared about the outcome?”

 

Matthew looked at her and frowned. She was really easy to talk to and hadn’t made him feel uncomfortable as he talked about his personal things, in fact, it helped him to put it in words.

 

“I’m scared of being rejected, but… I also don’t have many hopes on him loving me, you know?” Matthew said softly. The doctor took his hand and smiled at him.

 

“It’s better to be open about your feelings, Matthew,” she said, “but I understand that being on your position you may see those feelings as something… Exploitable.”

 

“They are, aren’t they?” Matthew growled and tensed all of sudden. She frowned.

 

“What happened, Matthew?”

 

“I growled… I shouldn’t growl…”

 

“Oh, right, your training with Hiroto… You know you can growl, right honey? You have learnt to control your inner beast and you can let a growl or two every now and then.”

 

“Do you know everything about my stance with the Incubi?” Matthew frowned and she shook her head.

 

“I know what is in this file, it doesn’t say anything about what you like or what you thought about your life here, therefore, it’s full of barely usable information.”

 

Matthew frowned and looked at his journal.

 

“It would help our sessions if you can read my journal?”

 

“It would if you truly want me to read it an to use it to comprehend you. But only if you want me to.”

 

“I’ll think about it, Brightside.” Matthew took the pen and looked at her. “You’ll lock this down, away from everyone’s eyes?”

 

“I swear no one but you will read that journal.” She said seriously tapping the locker by her side. It was lined with runes that glowed faintly, “No one but me can open this baby.”

 

“What if I’m assigned to another household?” Matthew opened the journal and put the date.

 

“Oh, don’t worry. I can carry my office all around the globe.” She gestured at a huge black backpack with a cats and runes pattern that rested on a corner. “I made a witch enchant that baby for me so I could carry everything I need around.”

 

“I need one of those.” Mumbled Matthew, and she shook her head.

 

“I bet you’ll prefer to stablish in one place, have a comfy house and a cute family.” Winked dr Brightside as she saw Matthew write in his journal.

 

“Yes, I had that… I miss that.”

 

“You can have it again, honey, don’t lose hope.”

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise all this has a reason to be, especially having Tarrick out the UV Seal. And I hope you all like Dr Brightside, she is inspired by three of my friends who I truly love and have been such great support for me on this years.
> 
> I hope you like this chapter and thank you so much for reading and for your comments~
> 
> If you want to talk directly to me I'm @Mirai_H_Sama on twitter ;)
> 
> From beyond the mirror,
> 
> Mirai~


	18. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew plays tag and talks to Rosaline.
> 
>  
> 
> “He is my teammate, and to me teammates are family.”
> 
> “That means we are family now?”
> 
> “Not yet, but maybe soon,” Vik smirked and gestured Matthew towards a room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Then again, I'm sorry for the wait, this chapter just didn't come out right... 
> 
> Still, I hope you like this small insight on Matthew & Rosaline relationship and on Vik's crazy experiments.
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 17

 

Matthew speed through the forest, running for his dear un-life as a silver dust grenade exploded nearby. He cursed and dodged another one, trying to pinpoint the goddamned hunters that were attacking him. A soft breath and a rustle let him know where one of the fuckers was hiding. He took him and yanked him down to plant his face on the ground.

 

“That hurt!” cried the hunter as Matthew lighted his three targets.

 

“You think that your fucking bolts and grenades don’t hurt?” Matthew replied, knocking a couple of bolts off the air before any could land on his targets.

 

“Vik said you didn’t have issues with our test,” the hunter mumbled getting up, and Matthew grabbed him to use him as a shield against another grenade. The poor man whined at the hit. Well, at least he didn’t burn when silver touched him.

 

“Tell Vikström that this is not my idea of a ‘friendly gathering’, would you?” Said Matthew letting go of the hunter and speeding towards a green flash of light several miles away.

 

The hunter made a few more teleportation jumps and throw a silver grenade to the floor effectively obscuring Matthew’s vision and getting away from him. Matthew didn’t even bother to chase after him and sprinted towards another flash of green light. This time he approached faster, burning down a lot of blood.

 

But the hunter didn’t stand a chance. She looked at him bewildered as he prevented her from screaming and brought his claws over the tags. He took off her com and she frowned.

 

“You can’t say a thing, you are ‘dead’, remember?” grinned Matthew, putting on the earpiece and speeding towards another hunter. It was easier now that he could hear the orders issued by dispatch. This Tag game was a training drill that Vik’s hunters took way too serious for his liking.

 

Then again Vik’s hunters had a really good reputation of being able to recover escapee vamps with the fewer hunter’s injury rate. Maybe because they did this.

 

Matthew wondered which vampire would offer himself to do things like this, as he touched the tags of the other two hunters.

 

A third one, that Matthew hadn’t seen called on the coms: “He is listening to us. Change Channel.” Matthew growled and the hunter shrugged before disappearing in a flash of green.

 

Matthew was determined to take him down when a burst of bolts made him change directions, a few silver grenades made him recoil and grunt. He sensed the soft beat of a hunters heart and speed towards it, but a loud beep made him stop. A bolt had touched the tag on his lower abdomen.

 

“First blood on Commander Vikström.” The announcement was heard through the forest and the soft cheers made Matthew curse under his breath. The first blood should be his. He had taken out of combat several hunters already.

 

He followed the cheers and took down another two before being ambushed by several silver grenades. He heard another beep from his tags.

 

“Second blood on Commander Vikström.” How the hell was she that fast? Matthew retreated and sprinted through the forest, avoiding hunters as he assessed his ‘injuries’. The tags on three of his blood pouches were lit, the one on his chest remained untouched, like the one on his throat. The remaining tag of his pouches hadn’t been lit because he protected it with his arm, which was covered on blisters because of the silver.   
  
The grenades were strong enough to broke his training suit in order to get the silver on his skin. Matthew shivered and thought of how grateful he was that he was on Vik’s side.

 

The thought didn’t last much.

 

The whistle of a grenade made him change directions and he stepped on something that sent silver spikes up. He heard the fourth tag of his pouches lit up and his leg broke. He rolled on the forest floor and used a tree to stop himself. His leg wasn’t healing so he assumed the spikes were covered on that damn foxglove.

 

“This was fun,” Vik’s voice came from behind Matthew. He turned to see her as she aimed her bazooka at him. And everything went black.

 

He jumped as soon as he recovered his senses and looked around bewildered. He was on a soft bed inside a cage of reflective glass. He growled and felt a small tug on his arm. An IV was giving him blood.

 

Matthew realized then that his leg and his arm were cured, that he was still on his training suit and that he felt sluggish.

 

“Oh, you woke up!” The tone on Vik’s voice made Matthew wonder if it was really that amazing that he had woke up.

 

“Where am I?” Matthew’s voice sounded harsh and strangled. He touched his throat and felt it wrinkled and rough as if it had just started healing. He approached the glass and saw the burning mark slowly healing. What the hell?

 

“You are on my special recovery chamber,” replied Vik happily, making the glass transparent so he could see her on the other side by a huge monitor and console that seemed to control the space he was now. “It works better on hunters, of course, because I know how to heal humans better.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“I miscalculated the velocity of the grenade and the injuries my vamp’s caltrops caused you.”

 

“You throw me a grenade at close range?”

 

“I was expecting you avoid it, I didn’t factor in that the caltrops were coated by a stronger version of the distilled foxglove we commonly use.” Vik seemed very proud of her inventions.

 

“It didn’t give me the time to react…” replied Matthew and Vik’s proud smile widened. Matthew scoffed and sighed, “I guess I lost the game, then.”

 

“Yes, you did. But you took half of my hunters with you,” replied Vik frowning a little, “It’s not a record, but it’s been a while since someone had put us so much on edge.”

 

“Who was the last one?”

 

“Want to guess?”

 

Matthew didn’t have to. He had heard they use the ‘fox trap’ formation.

 

“You play tag with other teams?” asked Matthew sitting on the bed. Vik smiled.

 

“Not usually… We often made the captured vamps play with us.” She shrugged, “If they can lit more than a third of my hunters’ tags before theirs getting lit they could walk away.”

 

“None of them can, huh?

 

“Nope, that’s why yours beeped. Each one emulates the sound of a vamp’s alert. When all go off the sound becomes permanent.”

 

“Then you can take off the vampire while they are helpless because of the alarm.”

 

Vik nodded very proudly. Matthew nodded too, it was a brilliant idea. It was torture too, and mean, but brilliant nonetheless.

 

“Have you used it on actual combat?”  
  
“I’ve made some sound grenades, although I haven’t been able to perfect them yet.” Commented Vik, shrugging a little, “Besides those generate issues to our people too.”

 

“How… How much time I spent unconscious?” Asked Matthew after a while.

 

“A night,” replied Vik pushing a few buttons. The IV stopped and Matthew whined.

 

“How did I heal in a night?”

 

“With lots of incubi and vampire blood and some special drugs I’ve been making up.”

 

“That’s why I feel so dizzy?”

 

“You feel dizzy? What else do you feel?”

 

“Horny… And Hungry.”

 

“Noted,” said Vik noting stuff on a notebook, “I’ll let you out and get you someone to feed off, okay?”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” commented Matthew and he smiled when she pushed some buttons and the glass door opened.

 

“Come now, Matthew,” said Vik, handing him a shirt and a jean. “I’ll introduce you to my research team and I’ll show you where you are going to stay.”

 

“A cage?”

 

“No, a comfy room that will be monitored, of course… I’ve been thinking about something Hiroto told me.”

 

“What did he told you?”

 

Vik looked at him and she smiled.

 

“He asked me to be careful with you…” Commented Vik, “and I’ve been thinking about it… What do you have that makes Hiroto so… caring about you?”

 

“I have a nice ass and a good dick.”

 

“No, this goes beyond sexual attraction… I’ve seen Hiroto trying to get in the pants of someone else several times,” Vik walked down the hallway followed by Matthew, “This… What you have is different, and is important to him, and since it’s important for him it’s important to me.”

 

“You like him, huh?”

 

“He is my teammate, and to me teammates are family.”

 

“That means we are family now?”

 

“Not yet, but maybe soon,” Vik smirked and gestured Matthew towards a room.

 

Matthew entered and he was wrapped in a tight embrace and a flurry of red.

 

“MATTHEW!” Rosaline kissed his cheeks and grinned, “I missed you so much!”

 

“Rosaline, I’m so happy to see you,” beamed the vampire, hugging the succubus and purring softly.

 

“I’ll let you get comfortable and send you a bottle or two of blood in a while,” said Vik winking, “as soon as you finish you can tell the guards on the door and I’ll come to take you to the main lab.”

 

“Finish?” Asked Rosaline as Vik exited the room and closed the door. Matthew wrinkled his nose.

 

“I just heal some injuries, nothing to worry about,” he started, as his hands went down the red locks of the woman, “and I told her I was horny and hungry… So I guess she brought me here to fuck you.”

 

“I wouldn’t mind,” replied Rosaline tugging Matthew so he would follow her to the bed. “Have you find a feeder?”

 

“Not yet…” Matthew wrinkled his nose in disgust. “I’m not sure I want a feeder.”

 

“They are with us on their own accord,” said Rosaline with a gentle smile as she cuddled against him, “And we retribute their contributions properly.”

 

“You pay for them.”

 

“I know how that might sound, but it’s not like that. We don’t make them do anything they don’t want to.”

 

“What about the war prisoners?”

 

“What?”

 

“I know that Tane used to summon a vampire, made her put on dresses and she came back to the cells hurt.”

 

“Oh, gods… I… It’s forbidden to have sex with a vampire.”

 

“What about raping them?”  
  
“I don’t think Tarrick would allow such a thing to happen on his estate,” Rosaline had stopped her caresses and looked at him severely.

 

“You know that making them say yes with a hold is the same as rape, don’t you?”

 

Rosaline opened her mouth and then closed it, her frown deepened.

 

“Have I…?” started she and Matthew shook his head frantically.

 

“Never, my lady,” he promptly answered, “You know I know when you put a hold on me.”

 

“We’ve put you through so much… Even if you are one of ours,” mumbled Rosaline concerned, “I’m really sorry.”  
  
“Thanks.”

 

Matthew felt a soft warm spreading through his chest at Rosaline’s apology. Especially because she looked into his eyes and he could almost _feel_ how sorry she felt about it.

 

“I… I’ve put a lot of thought on it, you know? Your captivity and all we put you through…” Commented Rosaline hugging him close, Matthew almost melted in the embrace, “and… When I heard you were going to be put through psychological assessment, I called Dr Brightside, because she helped me a lot when I came back from… House Moreau.”

 

“She is a ray of sunshine, isn’t she?” commented Matthew, Rosaline beamed.

 

“I knew you were going to like her… She is so head levelled and so caring with her patients,” Rosaline talked with such love about the Dr that made Matthew smile. To be honest he started liking the doctor after a long session of pestering about Tane.

 

“How long did you were on treatment?” Asked Matthew, after a while.

 

“I’m still on treatment… Oh, you should’ve seen her face when I told her I defended you!” Said Rosaline proudly, “She was having problems convincing people that if Tarrick said you weren’t a threat to us it was because it was true, especially to the traumatized incubi, and when I told her you were so caring and so sweet and that I liked you a lot and pester about the way Tarrick deprived you of feed, she was surprised and grateful. ‘Can I tell this to the others, Rosie? It would help a lot of them if they know that you, of all people, accept him’. That was she said.”

 

“She calls you Rosie, then?” Teased Matthew and Rosaline stuck out her tongue.

 

“She has a nickname for me,” she replied as she let her hand wander down the man’s chest. “A thing I’ve asked you for a while.”

 

“Can I call you ‘Rosie’ then?”

 

“No way, make up your own nickname for me,” pouted Rosaline as she took off his shirt, “you made up hundreds of nicknames for Hiroto.”

 

“Well, with him is easy, I just think about cheesy things,” replied Matthew running his hand down her back to unzip her dress. “You don’t seem like your average cheesy cliché loving girl.”

 

Rosaline pouted and he kissed her pout and smiled.

 

“What about… Fiery hair?” asked Matthew letting his hands undo the coils of her hair. She smiled.

 

“Are you going to nickname me after my hair?”

 

“I love your hair, is red… as Blood.”

 

“That was so cliché.”

 

“It’s about Aesthetics…”

 

“You sound like Lock.”

 

“That is something I definitely don’t want to hear in the bedroom.”

 

Both looked at each other and burst to laugh. Matthew hugged Rosaline and let himself fall back first on the bed. She giggled and caressed him softly.

 

“What about… Bloodhead?” asked Matthew, kissing her forehead, “Or Bloodnut?”

 

“What are you? Australian?”

 

“Don’t like it?”

 

“I could get used to it.”

 

Matthew smirked and kissed her passionately, his lips devouring hers and his tongue tasting all her mouth. She melted against him, pressing her body to his.

 

“Matthew…” His name escaped her lips as a soft plea, as her hands went down his chest, claws out, leaving small lines of blood that healed instantly. Matthew grabbed her ass, and ground against her, making her moan.

 

“I desire you too, Bloodylocks,” whispered the vampire on the succubus ear, and she trembled when he licked her long neck just above her pulse. With a swift move, Matthew put Rosaline underneath him and took off her dress carefully. After a couple encounters he had learnt that no matter how eager, Rosaline always mopped her ruined dresses after.

 

He left a trail of kisses down her neck, and capture one of her nipples on his mouth. Rosaline arched and gasped, as Matthew’s hands trailed lower, spreading her legs and running his claws for her thighs. Matthew left the nipple and went down her abdomen leaving kisses and licks, tasting her soft skin until he got between her legs.

 

She looked down, her eyes bright with desire, and he smiled as she gasped on the expectative. A soft lick made her moan and he purred softly. He loved how she became undone under his attentions.

 

He tasted her, letting his tongue roam and circle, drawing more moans and cries from her lips.

 

A loud gasp left Rosaline’s lips when Matthew started thrusting with his tongue, while his claws cupped her round ass and lift her to be able to eat her more comfortably.   
  
Matthew purred when her hands run down his hair and gripped it hard, as he fucked her with his mouth. Matthew pressed his tongue against her nib and played with it, making her arch her back and cry in pleasure. Her claws scraped his scalp as she gave up to the pleasure. Matthew purred again and sent waves of pleasure through his hands and tongue and saw with delight how she was overwhelmed by the pleasure and come hard for him. He started to feed on the golden coils of energy that emanated from the woman.

 

A soft knock made him frown as he kept licking and tasting her through her orgasm.

 

“I know I told you I’ll wait until you finish, but… We need every available hunter…”

 

“ _I’m busy_ ” signed Matthew with just one hand, not bothering to look at the newcomer.

 

“I can see it, but… It’s an emergency… We are under attack.”

 

A deep growl formed on Matthew’s chest, as he went up and kissed Rosaline’s lips.

 

“I’m sorry, Milady, I’m required on the battlefield,” he said softly, and she pouted as she embraced him.

 

“I’ll wait for you then,” she said before kissing him and wink.

 

Matthew nodded and changed clothes on a rush, before joining Vik who gave him a bottle of blood.

 

“I’m going first, see you in the battlefield,” said Vik with a worried look before teleporting away. Matthew uncapped the bottle and down it while sprinted to the exit. Outside, hell had set loose.

 

_**A suivre...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this part will have nine more chapters. Woah. I never thought this was going to be so huge haha~
> 
> I hope you like this chapter and thank you so much for reading and for your comments~
> 
> If you want to talk directly to me I'm @Mirai_H_Sama on twitter ;)
> 
> From Lyoko,
> 
> Mirai~


	19. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew saves some people.
> 
>  
> 
> “Tarrick told me you used to be a fireman… You like saving and protecting people, don’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this small insight of Vik and Matthew's relationship. And I promise the next chapter will be longer and will have something I thing we all been waiting for a long time ;)
> 
> DISCLAIMER:
> 
> Beautiful Monsters, and Matthew, Tarrick, Rosaline, Hiroto and all its marvellous characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Jex Lane.
> 
> I earn no money with this, only your kudos and comments.

# CHAPTER 18

 

Matthew roared, as he felt adrenaline surge through him while he ripped off the head of a Lord. He hated how much he enjoyed ripping and killing people. Around him, several bodies in various states of decay layered the floor. Behind him, stood some houses with humans and social incubi filled with terror because of the battle.

 

Matthew sprinted and jumped so he could ake a Lord out from the sky, barely latching the chain that Vik had given him when the battle started. The Lord growled as the silver chain burned on his skin and Matthew’s extra weight destabilized him. An incubus flew down and took off the Lord’s head making it’s decaying body and Matthew to plummet to the ground.   
  
A cocky smile and jerk laugh told Matthew who to blame for it. Tane.

 

Damnit.

 

He had been behaving well around the jerk, but he insisted on picking up fights with him. In the more inconvenient moments.

 

Matthew managed to fall correctly and sprinted towards the vampires that were taking a chance on the houses of the civilian. Not on his watch.

 

He launched the chain again and smiled when it latched on the vampire that seemed to be directing the attack. He riled it up and let himself be propelled forwards for it. He landed square on the vamps’ back and ripped his head before turning to the others and let loose his aura. The vampires stopped dead on their tracks and took a couple of steps back.

 

“Why are you fighting for them?” managed to ask one of them, “You should be fighting with us.”

 

Matthew shrugged and lounged for him, whispering softly on his hear.

 

“This is business,” he replied, before beheading the vampire. The others looked at him bewildered and lounged for him. Matthew smiled and attacked them.

 

He spent all night defending the small village on his own. He knew the real battle was near the leystone and by the castle. But he couldn’t let the people here die.

 

“Matthew? Why I’m not seeing you on the battle?” Asked Tarrick over the com and Matthew smiled at the thought of the incubus looking for him.

 

“I’m not there, Master.” Replied Matthew using the chain to launch a vampire over other, “I’m protecting the nearby village.”

 

“There are vamps getting near there?” Tarrick asked surprised.

 

“Were,” corrected Matthew cockily as he beheaded the tangled vampires. “For your tone, I must assume that the witch broke some sort of protection or veil, Am I right?”

 

“There was a witch with them?”

 

“She disappeared before I could attack her. I reported to Vik that I was going to hold it here until she sent reinforcements.” Matthew scanned the area for more vampires but the ones nearby were heading for the main event, “Tane has come around a couple of times, though. I hope he is not my reinforcement.”

 

“There won’t be any reinforcements…”

 

“Oh…” Matthew frowned, “It’s that bad?”

 

“I was calling you to bring you to the main battle.”

 

“With due respect, High Lord General. I won’t let these people alone.”

 

“You think you can protect the entire village?”

 

“I’ve been doing so, Master.”  
  
“Keep the good work then. Sunrise is three hours due.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

Matthew used a bit of blood energy to enhance his senses and scanned the area again. A little fucker was trying to sneak into the village a couple of blocks away, and he wasn’t going to allow it.

 

He was grinning when he ripped off the vamps head.

 

The three hours flew by, as many vamps heads and limbs.

 

When the sun was a few minutes away a young blonde boy approached, from one of the houses.

 

“You may come in, Mr Vampire,” he said with a thick accent and a soft smile, “We don’t want our saviour to burn on the sun.”  
  
Matthew followed the boy into a house and to its basement with a smirk. The boy signalled a rather dark container with a mattress, a pillow and a blanket. It seemed improvised and it warmed Matthew’s undead heart.

 

“Thank you…”

 

“No, thank you, Mr Vampire… For protecting us.” The boy smiled and Matthew frowned he seemed familiar. Matthew removed his armour filled with blood and gunk and laid on the mattress as the sun rose.

 

When he woke up, the sun was high and Vik’s face was a few inches from his.  
  
“Do you want a kiss?” Asked Matthew smiling. Vik was staring at him.  
  
“You protected them…” Vik’s voice was so soft he thought he imagined it, but she speaked again, “You saved them all.”

 

“They are civilians… They needed the protection,” replied Matthew, and was about to say something else when Vik kissed his cheek.

 

“Thank you,” she said before closing Matthew’s eyes with a tender caress, “now sleep, teammate.”

 

Matthew was happy to comply and drifted into a restless dream filled with blood and voices that cried for death.  
  
When he woke up next time, the sun has just sunk beneath the horizon. He was still in the container and he heard steps outside. He rose and wrinkled his nose when he noticed the sheets were tainted with decaying blood. He hoped they won’t hate it too much. He exited the container and saw a large group of blondes looking intently at him.

 

“Uhm… Hi?” Matthew looked at them without knowing what to do. A small boy approached him with a bottle of blood on his hands.

 

“You are awake!” he said beaming and passing him the bottle, “We figured you’ll be hungry after everything that happened… We are really grateful.”

 

“I… Thanks…” said Matthew and took a small sip from the bottle. It was still warm, so they’d probably just collected it. “It’s good… Thanks…”

 

The boy beamed and the other blondes come to him to congratulate him for the last night’s battle. He just shrugged and told them it was his work as a hunter to protect them.

 

“Hey! Let him alone!” Said Vik entering the basement and getting to Matthew, “he is my teammate, not your vampire pet.”

 

“Pet?” asked Matthew and Vik shook her head.

 

“They probably thought about feeding you and having you over…” She said scowling at the younger of the blondes.

 

“But he saved us, we were just showing him our gratitude,” pouted a girl.

 

“Besides you have plenty of vampires around, sis, we want to keep him,” added the older of them. Matthew realized they were all siblings, and they probably were Vik’s siblings.

 

“He is not a pet, he is a person,” Vik replied, “and he has responsibilities and people to go to… Would you like an incubus took you from home and keep you as his pet?”

 

“No…” the young male pouted and diverted his gaze, “We just didn’t want the incubi and hunters to kill him…”

 

“Don’t be silly, Henry,” said Vik with a smile, “He is one of the Argonauts, they won’t hurt him… Much…”

 

“You are and Argonaut?”

 

“That’s why you are so strong?”

 

“How a vampire can be a hunter?”

 

“Are you the High General’s secret weapon?”

 

“How old are you?”

 

“Are you a Lord?”

 

“Have you banged our sister?”

 

Matthew took a step back overwhelmed by the sudden burst of questions when a soft call came out of Vik’s com.

 

“Matthew, Vik, King Hindrik is waiting for you.”

 

“You all heard dispatch,” said Vik moving her hand, “Dispatch, we are on our way, over.”

 

The trip back to the castle was quiet, but it was on a comfortable silence that made him calmer somehow. Vik gazed at him every now and then and smile at him. They arrived at the castle, Matthew cleaned himself and throw some clean clothes on and they went to the throne room. They both kneeled in from of the incubus that was waiting for them

 

“I heard you put up a great fight last night,” said King Hindrik with a soft smile, “you may rise and account it for me, please.”

 

Matthew looked at Vik unsure of what to do, and she nodded and rose. Matthew rose too and listen to her as she recounted the battle and how her inventions helped a great deal. Matthew wished he had been on that battle.

 

“What about you… Matthew, right?” Said the King softly, Matthew nodded and started to recount how he had stayed behind to help protect the village. The King seemed to be very proud.

 

“My, my, now I see why High Lord General, Queen Agleea, Queen Cathail, Lord Reval and Lady Rosaline are so fond of you,” said the incubus climbing down his throne and taking Matthew’s hands on his, “I’m really grateful to you for helping us protect our people. You’ll be always welcomed here, Matthew.” The King caressed his hands and Matthew felt a soft warm spreading from the places that the king was touching, “now, you may go… I’m sure there’s plenty of things that Vik has thought to keep you busy.”

 

Matthew and Vik bowed to King Hindrik and exited the throne room.

 

“Hey, Matthew,” Vik called as they walked down the halls, “what do you say about looking around and then go to Rosaline? She’s still waiting for you..”

 

“That… Sounds good,” Matthew smiled as he followed Vik to her lab.

 

Several hours later, he lied by Rosaline, who had been cuddling with him after a steamy makeout and sex session.

 

“What are you thinking about now, my beautiful vampire?” asked her as she traced Matthew’s muscles. Matthew sighed and smiled at her.

 

“I was thinking that I like being able to protect people,” he replied softly and her smile widened.

 

“Tarrick told me you used to be a fireman… You like saving and protecting people, don’t you?”  
  
“It makes me feel warm and cosy inside… Like… When I save someone I feel like what I do matters, you know?”

 

“You matter a lot, Matthew… And… You are really good at saving people.”

 

“And I’m really good at killing people too.”

 

Rosaline grimaced and gave him a small hit on his shoulder.

 

“You kill people that kill people, therefore you are saving a lot of people.”

 

“I guess that’s right… But what about the innocents I killed when I wasn’t able to control myself?” Matthew sighed and Rosaline kissed his cheek.

 

“I’m sure you didn’t want to kill them… It was just…” Rosaline sighed and let her head rest on Matthew’s chest, “I know how it feels… To be so hungry you just want to satiate it, and therefore hurting people you didn’t want to hurt… And feeling horrible because you don’t know how to not kill them but you are too afraid of dying of starvation…”

 

“Rosaline…” Matthew kissed her head and hugged her closer.

 

“The point is… Your hands are bloody, but your souls is not.” Rosaline looked at him and he hold his breath at the intensity of her gaze, “your soul is cleansed every time you save someone, even if to do so you have to kill somebody else…”

 

“What if I enjoy killing?” Matthew asked softly, caressing her long hair.

 

“You don’t,” Rosaline stated with a soft smile, “You don’t enjoy it thoroughly… If you did, you won’t be questioning all this now… Besides, you are too kind to take a life lightly.”

 

“You all insist I value life a lot,” mumbled Matthew diverting his gaze.

 

“You do, and you also are a predator and that’s not wrong,” said Rosaline before kissing him passionately, “now, no more sad thoughts. You are the hero of the moment and the man in my bed. You should be happier.”

 

“You are right, Bloodlocks,” Matthew smirked, his hands sliding down Rosaline’s back and grabbing her perfectly rounded ass, “I have the most beautiful succubus on earth on my bed, I should be happy.”

 

“Smooth,” mocked Rosaline, kissing him softly. Matthew laughed as they carried it through the second round.

 

The next night Matthew wished he had told Rosaline to stay.

 

It had been a hellish night, coping with Vik’s crazy inventions and even crazier training drills, and when Matthew get to his room he wished Rosaline was there to cuddle with her and let her caress his sore muscles.

 

And the rest of the week was more or less the same, with the exception of Vik having him try some weird beverages or food every now and then and the results vary from him getting poisoned to a sudden burst of energy.

 

He couldn’t say he hated his stay with Vik, but he was really looking forward to ran from that place and spent the next week with Hiroto.

 

 

**_A Suivre..._ **

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is getting more and more interesting by the day, huh? 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter, what happened here is going to be really important in future chapters so~
> 
> And I promise you will absolutely love the next chapter~
> 
> If you want to talk directly to me I'm @Mirai_H_Sama on twitter ;)
> 
> From Area 11,
> 
> Mirai~

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. If you find any typo or so, feel free to tell me. English isn't my mother language.


End file.
